Thursday Headlines: Uber Goes To Court Edition
A jury of our peers will decide if Uber drivers should be classified as contractors or employees of the tech giant, according to amNY.
The issue has less to do with workers’ rights than it does with liability following car crashes. A 2019 lawsuit names Uber as liable for a crash, but the company denies that the Uber driver involved is anything more than an independent contractor who assumes all the risks.
Not to put a politician in the position to say I told you so, but Uber’s massive push to roll back crash victims’ ability to sue in general, as well as the millions they spent on advertising and lobbying, does fall in line with outgoing state Senate Deputy Majority Leader Michael Gianaris’ understanding of their motives.
He quipped, “They probably think they can save more than $8 million,” earlier this year while referring to Uber’s spending around car insurance policy.
Time will tell if the company’s ability to persuade a jury is as strong as it is with the Executive Chamber.
Elsewhere in the Empire State:
State Sen. Jeremy Zellner (D-Erie County) has challengers on the horizon for his Erie County Democratic Party chairship. (BTPM, The Buffalo News)
Ithaca has created a Downtown Revitalization Initiative local planning committee. (The Ithaca Times)
A Syracuse lawyer is fighting for her life after a volunteer firefighter hit her while responding to a call. (Syracuse.com)
Expect changes to the Metro-North schedule this weekend as the MTA begins track work from Beacon to Poughkeepsie. (The Poughkeepsie Journal)
Carmel Supervisor Michael Cazzari is calling on the state to enact similar e-bike regulations as New Jersey. (amNY)
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani and DSA are planning a tax push in the state Legislature next year. (The New York Post)
Can Long Island roads and infrastructure handle a new hospital? (Newsday)
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