The gig economy, and the company that has come to epitomize it -- Uber -- is shaping up to be a major part of the 2016 campaign for presidential hopefuls.
It seems everyone is weighing in on the issue of innovation changing the way Americans work, and Republicans and Democrats are divided along party lines as to where they stand on Uber. While Republicans are coming out strongly in favor of the ride-share app, Democrats are hedging their bets and trying to reconcile the nature of how the app works with their fight to protect workers' rights.
The "gig economy" means that workers function as independent contractors, not full-time staff of a particular company, and therefore don't get the same kinds of benefits, such as health care, overtime, or sick leave, that employers of non-independent contractor employees are required to provide. Due in part to the independent contractor distinction of its workers, Uber has become a point of controversy in some American cities that are attempting to regulate the company's business practices.
However, the independent contractor issue is just one of the many battles being waged by the company in various cities.
In New York, for example, the ride-share app is picking a fight with Mayor Bill de Blasio for backing a proposed bill to cap the number of new licenses given to ride-hailing vehicles, intended to reduce congestion, but which effectively limits the growth of newer taxi providers.
But aside from the distinct issues surrounding Uber in various localities, the app's growth and impact on workers has become an issue on the national stage thanks to the candidates.
Here is where some 2016's contenders stand on the ride-share app and the gig economy.
Hillary Clinton
Uber, and the ever expanding gig economy, has Clinton a little worried. During her first major economic policy address of the presidential race, delivered at the New School in Manhattan on Monday, Clinton failed to mention Uber by name, but voiced her hesitation to fully embrace its business model.
"This on demand or so called gig economy is creating exciting opportunities and unleashing innovation, but it is also raising hard questions about workplace protections and what a good job will look like in the future," said Clinton.
Much of her concern was related to the treatment of workers by gig economy-styled companies rather the services themselves. And while she offered no clear plan, she said she wouldn't hesitate to offer gig economy-focused policy directives in the future.
"I'll crack down on bosses who exploit employees by misclassifying them as contractors, or even steal their wages," said Clinton during her speech.
Though Clinton has previously voiced her skepticism regarding Uber, she was quick to thank an Uber driver who transported rival Jeb Bush on Thursday. The Yemeni-born driver, 34-year-old Munir Algazaly, mentioned that he would be voting for Clinton in 2016.
Algazaly called Bush a "nice guy," but said that he planned to cast his vote for Clinton.
Thanks for the support, Munir! https://t.co/awRjmMakoS— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) July 17, 2015
The Clinton campaign also made reference to Bush's use of the ride-share app in a tweet critical of his economic policies (Clinton herself has yet to take an Uber).
Jeb boasts of "hailing" an Uber but his trickle-down policies would leave Americans in the "share economy" behind. pic.twitter.com/5m7N1w8kL2— The Briefing (@TheBriefing2016) July 16, 2015
Clinton's comments, though, were much more nuanced than some were willing to take into account. After her speech, a strategic adviser and board observer for Uber, Shervin Pishevar, pointed out that she never mentioned Uber by name and instead posed questions about what the evolving gig economy meant for workers.
1/ HRC didn't attack Uber. She praised it, then said innovation raises important q's on what the future of work looks like. I agree.— Shervin Pishevar (@shervin) July 13, 2015
Jeb Bush
At the other end of the spectrum, Bush has come out fully in favor of Uber, showing his support quite publicly during a recent trip to San Francisco. On Thursday, Bush hailed an Uber for a visit to Thumbtack offices, where he spoke about the benefits of small business and entrepreneurship.
Rode shotgun in @Uber this morning to @Thumbtack here in SF. 5 stars for Munir pic.twitter.com/Xg0BeZBgJA— Jeb Bush (@JebBush) July 16, 2015
The choice to take an Uber was a clear campaign statement.
"Governor Bush believes harnessing innovation and fostering technology can help us grow at 4% once again," Bush campaign spokeswoman Allie Brandenburger told Mashable. "We will do this by getting Washington off the backs of innovators like Uber, not trying to plan the future of our economy from D.C."
Bernie Sanders
Sanders' camp has yet to push a clear stance on the sharing economy and has kept mum on Uber. But it's worth noting that Sanders' campaign staffers have yet to spend a dime on Uber rides, according to a report from the Center for Public Integrity.
Rand Paul
Rand Paul is all for Uber, as evidenced by a series of tweets that slammed Clinton's comments and indicated that he believes she is out of touch with the spirit of innovation. He credited the sharing economy with stimulating the market and adding to job growth.
America shouldn't take advice on the sharing economy from someone who has been driven around in a limo for 30 years.— Dr. Rand Paul (@RandPaul) July 13, 2015
Services like Uber, Airbnb, and Lyft stimulate our economy and work towards lower prices. How is this bad @HillaryClinton?— Dr. Rand Paul (@RandPaul) July 13, 2015
According to The New York Times, Paul's campaign staffers are also the most enthusiastic users of the ride-share app at this point in the race. His campaign took $1,428.20 in rides as of July.
Martin O'Malley
A statement from O’Malley's campaign, reported by The New York Times, said that he was “optimistic about companies like Uber because of their role in revitalizing cities across the country.”
But, like Clinton, O'Malley proceeded with caution, noting that “as companies like Uber grow and expand, we need to update our labor laws.” He proposed making employee benefits portable for all workers, so that those who work for companies like Uber can take insurance with them, from job to job.
Marco Rubio
Marco Rubio's love for Uber goes way back. In early 2014, he spoke at the Uber offices in Washington, D.C. and called for eliminating proposed regulations that could have hindered the spread of the service.
"Regulations should always be used as a way to help the public and ensure safety. It should never be used as a tool of anti-competitive activity," Rubio said at the time. "We should never allow government power and government regulations to be used to protect an established incumbent industry at the expense of an innovative competitor."
In an upcoming book outlining his economic policies, Rubio devotes an entire chapter to Uber, as well as the sharing economy as a whole. The chapter, titled "Making America Safe for Uber,” digs into his calls for deregulation and explains how he taught a class of college students about the principles behind his ideals. An excerpt from the book, published by The National Review, laid out Rubio's views on Uber in detail:
As my progressive young students listened to me explain why government was preventing them from using their cell phones to get home from the bars on Saturday night, I could see their minds change. They went from fervently believing that big government is necessary to protect the little guy to realizing that big government is often used to stick it to the little guy. Before I knew it, I was talking to a bunch of 20- and 21-year-old anti-regulatory activists.