Seattle Becomes First City to Allow Uber Drivers to Unionize

Now the city has become the first in the nation to allow drivers of ride-hailing companies such as Uber and Lyft to unionize over pay and working conditions. Welcomed by drivers, the ordinance is expected to be challenged by the companies.

It was a unanimous vote in favor of the legislation, which will likely be used as a test case for this new variation of the workforce – how will it affect non-transportation on-demand services, such as TaskRabbit, Postmates, Luxe, Amazon Prime, and many others.

Although the bill doesn’t address drivers’ employment status, it does extend to them rights usually reserved for employees.

According to City Councilmember Mike O’Brien, who sponsored the legislation, support from riders are a big part of why he was so confident it would pass. O’Brien had been expecting a backlash from Uber users, but he never heard from large numbers of riders who were against the proposal, he said before Monday’s meeting.

Under the ordinance, a majority of drivers paid to give rides will be given the option to join a union, and penalties will be applied for companies that fail to comply. Murray said he will not sign the bill but his office says it will become law without his signature.

It passed the City Council 8-0.

Traditionally however, union members have enjoyed far better wages, benefits and working conditions than do non-union employees.

The vote is seen as a victory for the App-Based Drivers Association, or ABDA.

Under the measure both a taxi for-hire or app-based vehicle-dispatch company like Uber will be required to provide the city with a list of its Seattle drivers and then a nonprofit, perhaps a union, can use that list to contact the drivers. Other drivers across the United States will certainly view this win as a major influence on future actions taken in their own cities. “We are just asking Uber to pay us a living wage”. In their defense, Uber and Lyft argue that flexibility and independence are the key advantages they offer their drivers.

Uber objects to the new legislation, The Seattle Times adds.

Lyft stressed that it gives drivers “the ability to make money in their free time” as they are “in control of where or when they work”.