The council passed the measure on an 8-0 vote.
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The text of the Seattle bill says that many businesses “rely on the drivers being classified as independent contractors” instead of employees, a practice that undermines city “efforts to create opportunities for all workers in Seattle to earn a living wage”. “The ordinance is puzzling because I think it’s generally believed to be flatly illegal what they’re trying to do”, he said, not mincing words, “and I assume the courts will look at that if it were to be successful”. The organizations would then bargain on behalf of those drivers. Now that it’s passed, how the system will work is that all drivers who have a Seattle for-hire vehicle licenses that have performed what the city calls a minimum threshold of trips can be eligible to participate in the union.
However, the city’s mayor is none to happy about it. However, whether the law is going to go into effect is yet to be seen.
This means drivers will be able negotiate their salaries and working conditions as a unit.
The new ordinance would require companies to give the city a list of its local drivers.
For-hire drivers are generally considered independent contractors by the companies who employ them, and aren’t covered by the National Labor Relations Act, which allows collective bargaining.
The Seattle legislation could offer ride-service drivers more rights that could eventually begin to chip away at the tech company’s profit margins.
However, this legislation, first introduced by Councilmember Mike O’Brien, creates a way for drivers to gain benefits typically given to employees. It is a fight that other drivers around the country have watched closely; union organisers in California have said that the outcome of the Seattle vote could influence actions taken in their own cities.
But not everyone in Seattle is thrilled about the new law, including Seattle’s mayor.
During a limited public comment period, some for-hire drivers from companies like East Side For Hire said they felt left out of the process of crafting this bill and urged either a “no” vote or a delay.
“My attitude about [a legal challenge] is that this is the work we’ve chosen to do”, Council Member Bruce Harrell said ahead of the vote.
Several other councilmembers also voiced strong support of the bill.
Joshua Koritz with Seattle-based Socialist Alternative told the council that Uber drivers need help “protecting their rights against their obvious employers in a company that has continued to attack them, decrease their percentages and decertify them when they feel they can”. He said other cities, including NY, are paying attention.
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“I ask all of us today to ask ourselves a question: Do we want to use the law as a shield, or do we want to use it as a sword?”
