Questions continue to be raised as the debate over the introduction of Uber services heats up in the province.

Local cab companies have been struggling in recent years trying to deal with a labour crunch and rising fuel and insurance costs.

That’s led to long waits for people looking for cabs, especially at the airport or during busy weekends. For years now there have been increased calls for services like Uber to help meet demand, and the City of St. John’s is currently gathering information.

Chris Hollett of Jiffy Cabs told VOCM Open Line with Paddy Daly they’ve been working on improving service.

He says they’re implementing a number of changes, including improvements to their phone service, the introduction of a new app, and changes to routes to free up cabs earlier.

Federation of Labour: Uber Drivers Misclassified as Independent Contractors

The Newfoundland and Labrador Federation of Labour has concerns about the proliferation of app-based businesses. Federation of Labour President Jessica McCormick says all workers who provide services through apps like Skip the Dishes, Uber or Door Dash are classified as independent contractors, which she says is a misclassification.

She says an independent contractor is not subject to the same labour standards as other workers. That includes minimum wage laws, access to worker’s compensation, sick leave, or recourse for dismissal without cause.

McCormick says companies like Uber argue that they can’t classify drivers as employees because they want to provide flexibility for their drivers.

That means fewer workplace protections for drivers according to McCormick.