“The Closer”, directed by acclaimed artist Luke Gilford, is a shift from Ride Responsibly’s previous safety-focused PSAs, drawing attention to the deceptive labor practices of ride-hailing companies. In this PSA, Pamela Anderson stars as the villain – a ride-hailing service super-recruiter – who can convince anyone to sign up as a driver by misleading them with compliments and charm and assuring them that they don’t require common employee benefits such as health insurance or designated work hours.
“The notion that Transportation Network Company drivers are independent contractors and not employees is entirely false, and an affront to the hard work and ambitions of thousands of Americans who are seeking a steady income to support themselves and their families,” said Gary Buffo, President of the National Limousine Association. “The Fair Labor Standards act clearly defines these men and women as employees, who should be afforded healthcare, workman’s comp and all of the benefits that employees of traditional ground transportation companies (e.g. taxi, black car, tour charters) receive. The ride-hailing companies see drivers as nothing more than a stop-gap measure while they work to develop autonomous vehicles intended to replace them.”
Pamela Anderson stated, “The public has come to rely on ride-hail apps, not only as transportation, but as income. Rather than appreciate the hard work and dedication provided by their drivers, these services lure innocent job-seekers with flashy ads about great pay and flexibility, yet force them to work intolerable hours, earning a barely livable wage. As a community, we must stand up for these drivers and demand legislation that grants them employment status and the benefits associated with it.”
Ride Responsibly is committed to ensuring the safety and protection of all ground transportation passengers and drivers. Following historic labor decisions by California’s Supreme Court and the California Public Utilities Commission, it is critical that lawmakers across the nation address the unfair labor tactics utilized by ride-hailing apps, and work to curb the abuse that drivers suffer on a daily basis. Ride Responsibly urges concerned citizens to contact their local representatives demanding that these injustices be stopped, utilizing the directory here: https://www.house.gov/representatives/find-your-representative
The Public Service Announcement will be distributed to all major television networks this week, and will air for the next 12 months. This marks the fourth time that Pamela Anderson has teamed up with The National Limousine Association’s Ride Responsibly campaign.
ABOUT THE NLA:
The National Limousine Association is a non-profit organization responsible for and dedicated to representing the interests of the private driver transportation industry at the global, national, state, and local level. It is the unified voice of this industry – linking transportation industry professionals from owners and operators to suppliers, manufacturers, regional and state limousine associations. With more than 2,000 NLA members, the Association is committed to exceeding expectations with regards to professionalism, transportation efficiency and safe riding.
For additional information on the NLA, please visit www.limo.org.
ABOUT RIDE RESPONSIBLY:
The Ride Responsibly campaign is an unprecedented effort to bridge an industry-wide gap between the rights of passengers and the responsibilities of service providers. The campaign establishes best safety practices for prearranged car services and ride-hailing app car services such as Lyft and Uber. This initiative by the National Limousine Association is designed to help address growing public concern and provide a forum for all to voice their views on the ground transportation industry. The program focuses on educating both service providers and the public about regulations, legislation and best practices within the industry. The goal is to empower and inform the public at large, and drivers and operators alike with the necessary tools to Ride Responsibly.
For additional information on Ride Responsibly™, please visit www.rideresponsibly.org.
View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/pamela-anderson-calls-out-ride-hailing-labor-injustices-300648214.html
SOURCE National Limousine Association