Cab companies unite against Uber and other ride-share services
The wild success of ride-sharing services such as Uber has resulted in a burgeoning movement among unlikely allies to regulate the new industry. A loose collective of labor groups, cabdrivers, and livery companies have begun lobbying to compel ride-sharing companies to comply to regulations similar to what cab companies do, including requiring permits, insurance, and background checks for drivers. Labor leaders cite the pressure on cabdrivers brought by emerging ride-share companies as the impetus for energized organizing efforts among drivers for better wages, benefits and working conditions, while cab companies are being forced to modernize their operations in order to compete with the new industry. These shared interests have fostered an unlikely spirit of cooperation among traditional enemies in fighting to level the playing field against ride-shares.
See "Cab companies unite against Uber and other ride-share services", Luz Lazo, The Washington Post, August 10, 2014