Taxi drivers' pre-Uber work arrangements are even worse; by and large they seem to love switching from working for a taxi company to working as an Uber driver. For example:

http://tech.fortune.cnn.com/2014/01/15/with-ubers-comes-stru...

http://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/2014/01/16/san-francisco-ca...

http://www.forbes.com/sites/timworstall/2013/12/12/how-lyft-...

In fact, for all the articles about taxi companies protesting before Uber comes to town, have you ever seen one about drivers complaining after?