From cinema to cinema: The US company Uber takes over celebrity transport during the Berlinale.
Photo: dpa/Fabian Sommer
When the Berlinale opens in a few days, it will also be an opportunity for Uber to show its best side. As in 2023, the US company will act as one of the main partners at the 74th edition of the renowned film festival. Uber wants to cart international celebrities from A to B in hydrogen cars; glamor and sustainability should outshine accusations of wage dumping and illegal work.
“The signal that the Berlinale management is sending is extremely problematic,” says Kristian Ronneburg. The transport policy spokesman for the Left in the House of Representatives criticized “nd” the “unfair methods” that Uber is using to harm Berlin’s taxi industry. In a current recommendation for a resolution, the left-wing faction calls on the black-red Senate to act. He should work to ensure that the Berlinale driving service goes exclusively to the Berlin taxi industry from 2025.
Uber stands for legal violations, Ronneburg explains the application. He speaks of a “cannibalization of taxi traffic”: There are numerous cases in which the company has commissioned subcontractors who violate minimum wage standards. The Senate has just increased funding for the Berlinale by 2 million euros. “That should be reason enough for the Berlinale not to support rental car brokers,” says the left-wing MP.
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A total of 65 hydrogen limousines and 15 electric minibuses were used at the Berlinale last year – a claim that the Berlin taxi guild sees itself up to. “If the taxi industry were allowed to support such a world event, it would be unique in the world,” says its chairman Leszek Nadolski to “nd”. There have already been discussions with the current festival management; like Uber, they want to rely on electric drives. They also want to bring the proposal to Tricia Tuttle, who will be the Berlinale boss in April.
Like last year, taxi drivers plan to protest against the sponsorship deal with Uber. “From our point of view, Uber is a strong supporter of undeclared work in Berlin,” says Nadolski. This is more than just the assessment of a taxi lobbyist: “You can also ask customs.” The main customs office in Berlin has reported in the past about drivers from corresponding subcontractors who, among other things, were withheld social benefits.
In contrast to other international cities, Uber was unable to implement its original business model in Berlin. The comparatively strict passenger transport law in Germany forced the group to adapt its terms and conditions. While Uber’s model in other countries is based on private individuals offering the service, in this country the app places self-employed people or drivers employed by small businesses. In theory, this comes with some limitations.
Uber is now going on the offensive in the German capital. The most recent example is the effective sponsorship deals surrounding the Mercedes-Benz and future Uber Arena in Friedrichshain. “The renaming is a clear declaration of war,” states Ronneburg. The Senate has no influence on advertising agreements in the private sector. However, things are different when the federal government implements the amendment to the Passenger Transport Act that came into force in 2021.
“In Berlin we now have to see how we can implement this,” says Ronneburg. In the long term, it is about defending public services against business models like Uber’s, setting fixed price frameworks for connections and ensuring social standards. »Many countries are afraid of a major legal dispute. Because we are the most affected, everyone is now looking at Berlin.«
Uber itself cannot understand the left’s advance. “With our involvement in the Berlinale, we support the cultural and film scene in the capital,” says the company “nd”. For Uber, acting in accordance with the law is “top priority.” This also applies to the partners with whom we cooperate. “If they do not adhere to the rules and we become aware of this, we will take appropriate consequences, including blocking them on our platform.” The Berlinale organizer left a query unanswered by the time of going to press.
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