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Drivers for ride-hailing apps such as\u00a0Uber\u00a0and Lyft in Massachusetts became the first in the nation Tuesday to certify a union, marking a milestone in the growing effort to organize gig-economy workers amid ongoing concerns over pay, expenses and working conditions.<\/p>\n
The victory could provide a model for similar campaigns gaining traction in states including California and Illinois, where labor organizers are increasingly targeting app-based industries as drivers also grapple with the rapid expansion of\u00a0self-driving technology.<\/p>\n
As drivers waved signs and chanted with the gold dome of the Massachusetts State House providing a backdrop, labor leaders described the victory as the largest private-sector organizing win since Ford autoworkers unionized in 1941.<\/p>\n
Jean Fredo, who has driven for Uber for more than seven years, said he hopes the union will bring better pay, stronger protections against sudden deactivations and more stability for drivers.<\/p>\n
\u201cWith the union, it will not feel like we\u2019re working for nothing,\u201d he said in French through a translator. \u201cNow the money will not only stay in the billionaire\u2019s pockets. The money will actually come to the workers who work very hard.\u201d<\/p>\n
The certification became possible after the state\u2019s voters approved a 2024 ballot measure creating a first-in-the-nation framework allowing ride-hailing drivers to unionize and bargain collectively while remaining independent contractors. Organizers say the union could ultimately represent nearly 70,000 drivers statewide.<\/p>\n
Drivers hope for relief on wages, deactivations<\/p>\n
Driver Alfred Potter said a few days ago, the App Drivers Union was \u201cstill no more than a dream \u2014 a goalpost the app companies continued to move until they could move it no more.\u201d<\/p>\n
Victoria Acosta, a mother who drives for both Uber and Lyft, said she spent months knocking on doors, testifying at hearings and speaking with hundreds of other drivers as organizers built support for the union effort.<\/p>\n
\u201cWithout the support of the drivers, we wouldn\u2019t be here,\u201d Acosta said in Spanish through a translator.<\/p>\n
She said she hopes the victory inspires drivers in other states.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf we did it, they can do it, too,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
Fredo said when he started driving for Uber he appreciated the flexibility and the ability to make his own schedule while still being present for his family. But over time, he said, he found himself working longer hours while earning less as gas and maintenance costs climbed.<\/p>\n
Drivers can also lose access to the apps with little warning or opportunity to appeal, he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI live with stress \u2014 always scared to lose my app,\u201d Fredo said. \u201cThis is not a way to live.\u201d<\/p>\n
Fredo said he immediately joined the organizing effort when he heard about it and later helped sign up hundreds of other drivers at airports and gathering spots around the Boston area.<\/p>\n
At one point during the rally, Fredo pumped his fists over his head while showing a photo of his four children to the crowd.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is my family,\u201d he said. \u201cI\u2019m fighting for a better life for them \u2014 just like everyone else is fighting for their families. My dream is to save and send my kids to college, and I believe we will get there.\u201d<\/p>\n
A labor fight shadowed by automation fears<\/p>\n
Supporters say rising vehicle costs, fluctuating pay and opaque app algorithms have fueled frustration among drivers who often work long hours while paying for gas, insurance, maintenance and vehicle wear-and-tear themselves. Uber and Lyft have argued that drivers value the flexibility of app-based work and have opposed efforts that could reclassify workers or alter the industry\u2019s business model.<\/p>\n
The organizing effort has unfolded alongside the rapid expansion of autonomous vehicle technology. In Massachusetts, autonomous vehicles can be tested on public roads, but current regulations still require a licensed human operator inside the vehicle. Fully driverless commercial operations without a human in the car are not permitted statewide.<\/p>\n
Waymo has expanded driverless taxi operations in cities including San Francisco, Los Angeles and Phoenix. The rollout has drawn scrutiny over traffic disruptions, safety investigations and incidents involving stalled or malfunctioning vehicles, while also heightening anxiety among some ride-hailing drivers about the future of their jobs.<\/p>\n
Julie Blust of the App Drivers Union said drivers across the country regularly communicate with one another about changing conditions in the industry, including the expansion of autonomous vehicles in California.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe now know what\u2019s happening there,\u201d she said. \u201cDrivers are seeing pay go down, and there are real concerns about safety and job security as automatic vehicles expand.\u201d<\/p>\n
Organizers increasingly see unionization as a way for drivers to collectively respond to the growth of autonomous vehicle companies, she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cDrivers now have an official organization and can speak with one voice about what\u2019s happening in this industry,\u201d Blust said. \u201cWe cannot let billions of dollars leave Massachusetts and go to Silicon Valley. That money feeds people\u2019s families, that money pays the rent. That money goes into small businesses.\u201d<\/p>\n
Uber and Lyft \u2018engaging in good faith\u2019<\/p>\n
The bargaining process is also unfolding as Massachusetts regulators consider broad new ride-hailing regulations proposed this spring involving safety standards, driver oversight and proposals involving electric vehicle fleets. Days before the union certification, Uber warned in a\u00a0blog post\u00a0that some of the proposals could raise costs and reduce flexibility for drivers, while supporters said the changes are intended to strengthen safety and accountability.<\/p>\n
In an emailed statement Tuesday, Uber said it would work with the union and state regulators as the bargaining process moves forward.<\/p>\n
\u201cAs we enter this next phase, we will work closely with the ADU, our broader driver community, and the Department of Labor Relations,\u201d the company said. \u201cTogether, we will ensure that driver flexibility and hard-won benefits remain the foundation of our progress.\u201d<\/p>\n
Lyft also said it planned to engage with the new bargaining process.<\/p>\n
\u201cAs this new process moves forward, we\u2019re committed to engaging in good faith,\u201d the company said in a statement. \u201cLyft does well when drivers do well, and we\u2019ll stay focused on helping drivers succeed while keeping rideshare affordable and dependable for everyone who counts on it.\u201d<\/p>\n
#Uber #drivers #Massachusetts #pulled #biggest #labor #win #robots #arrive<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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