THIS IMAGE FROM GOOGLE IMAGES
THIS IMAGE FROM GOOGLE
Earlier today I spoke briefly with the president about the immigration executive order and its issues for our community," Kalanick wrote in an email to employees Thursday. "I also let him know that I would not be able to participate on his economic council. Joining the group was not meant to be an endorsement of the president or his agenda but unfortunately it has been misinterpreted to be exactly that."
His resignation came on the eve of the first meeting of the group at the White House. Trump's business advisory council is led by Stephen Schwarzman, chairman and chief executive of the private equity group Blackstone. Other members include Tesla chief Elon Musk and executives from Wal-Mart, Pepsi and Walt Disney.
Kalanick's about face is a direct result of growing criticism of his insistence on engaging with Trump after the executive order banning refugees and others from seven Muslim-majority countries.
In recent days, the ride-hailing company was confronted by a growing number of boycotts that were taking a toll on its business.
The backlash illustrated the difficult path ahead for technology executives in working with Trump in a bitterly divisive political climate. Protests were scheduled to take place at Uber offices around the country on Thursday.At an all-hands meeting last week, Kalanick told employees Uber was working with Trump to pursue its mission of improving transportation around the globe.
"We'll partner with anyone in the world as long they're about making transportation in cities better, creating job opportunities, making it easier to get around, getting pollution out of the air and traffic off the streets," Kalanick
The day after Trump signed the executive order, protesters rushed to airports across the country to oppose it. Among those protesting were taxi drivers at New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport, who went on strike. Uber announced it would cut surge pricing at JFK, angering users who thought the company wanted to undercut the protests of taxi drivers. The hashtag #deleteuber surged in popularity, as customers cancelled their accounts in protest.
After the public outcry, Kalanick condemned Trump's immigration ban and contributed to relief groups. Kalanick was also among several New York tech executives who signed a letter urging Trump to rescind the order
An online petition sponsored by the Independent Drivers Guild, which represents nearly 50,000 Uber drivers in New York City, had called for Kalanick to resign from the advisory council, saying Uber was built on a "foundation of hard work by immigrant workers."
This is an important show of solidarity with the immigrant drivers who helped build Uber and number over 40,000 in New York City alone," Jim Conigliaro, Jr., founder of The Independent Drivers Guild, said in a statement. "We are heartened that Uber has listened to the drivers and the community on this important issue that is so integral to the promise of the American dream."
Kalanick wrote in an email to employees that "immigration and openness to refugees is an important part of our country’s success and quite honestly to Uber’s."
"We will fight for the rights of immigrants in our communities so that each of us can be who we are with optimism and hope for the future," he wrote.
Color of Change, which mounted a campaign to push Kalanick to resign from the Trump council, says it's calling on the other executives to step down, too.
THIS REPORT BY ME (SURAJ)
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