Uber and Lyft drivers in California are a step closer to unionizing after state regulators confirmed the budding union had gained enough support to be certified. Rideshare drivers have been fighting for a union for more than a decade to have more say in their pay, working conditions and benefits. The California Public Employment Relations Board informed the California Gig Workers Union last week that it had secured support from 30% of active rideshare drivers in the state. The union is expected to be certified after a 30-day waiting period, as long as no other qualifying organization emerges. “We worked tirelessly to win this union, spending thousands of hours, calling, texting and meeting our fellow drivers all across the state,” Fresno-based rideshare driver Vikaas Shanker said in a statement. “For too long, we have been without what we need to work and survive. Establishing our union is the first step toward change.”The California Gig Workers Union was formed with the support of SEIU, the Service Employees International Union. The passage of Assembly Bill 1340 last year gave gig rideshare drivers the right to unionize and collectively bargain. Uber originally opposed AB 1340, but dropped its opposition late last year following the passage of another bill that brought about major insurance requirement reforms. “PERB’s certification is the next step in delivering on AB 1340, a historic compromise that gives drivers a pathway to representation while preserving the independence and flexibility they’ve consistently said they value most,” said Ramona Prieto, Uber’s Western U.S. head of public policy and communications, in a statement. “We look forward to our work ahead with the California Gig Workers Union and the state.”California is the second state to allow rideshare drivers to unionize, following Massachusetts in 2024. The App Drivers Union was certified in May to represent roughly 70,000 Uber and Lyft drivers in that state. Illinois also recently passed a bill that granted drivers the right to officially organize. California drivers suffered a loss in 2020 when the state passed Proposition 22, which allowed app-based ride-hailing and delivery companies to continue to classify their drivers as independent contractors rather than traditional employees. Their classification as independent contractors exempted gig workers from state employee regulations around health insurance and minimum wage. “As this new process moves forward, we’re committed to engaging in good faith,” said Lyft communications director CJ Macklin. “Lyft does well when drivers do well, and we’ll stay focused on helping drivers succeed while keeping rideshare affordable and dependable for everyone who counts on it.”California is home to about 350,000 ride-hailing drivers, according to SEIU Local 521. The California Gig Workers Union hopes to begin bargaining by the end of the year, CalMatters reported. “A union for gig drivers isn’t just about improving pay and working conditions at the bargaining table, it’s also about making sure that gig drivers have a voice in every decision that impacts their livelihoods,” said SEIU 521 Chief Elected Officer Riko Mendez in a statement. “Gig drivers deserve a seat at the table,” he said.
