2017-10-12

Spinning Wheels: Uber's Legal Woes

Trying to get back its operating licence in London is not the only big legal challenge facing Uber, the controversial ride-hailing service. Today will see the start of the firm's appeal against a court decision nearly a year ago telling it to treat its drivers as "workers" who are entitled to the minimum wage and holiday pay. Later this year the European Court of Justice will decide whether Uber is just an "information society company" or a transport provider, which comes with much more regulation. Closer to home, Waymo, Alphabet's autonomous-car division, wants $1.8bn from Uber for allegedly stolen trade secrets. Luckily, Uber's new chief executive, Dara Khosrowshahi, seems both legally and socially more aware than his brash predecessor, Travis Kalanick. Immediately after Uber lost its licence in London Mr Khosrowshahi apologised for his firm's "mistakes". Whether this new politeness helps much in overcoming Uber's legal problems is, however, another question.

生词好句

spin wheels: 白费力气

woe /wəʊ/: n. 痛苦

ride-hailing: 打车

entitle /ɛnˈtʌɪt(ə)l/ /ɪnˈtʌɪt(ə)l/: vt. 使......享有权利

brash /braʃ/: adj. 唐突的

predecessor /ˈpriːdɪsɛsə/: n. 前任

overcome /əʊvəˈkʌm/: vt. 克服

"Desperation sometimes

drives innovation."

Dara Khosrowshahi