California Uber, Lyft Drivers Form Union After Signing Up 30% of 350,000 Drivers
Updated
Updated · CalMatters · Aug 12
California Uber, Lyft Drivers Form Union After Signing Up 30% of 350,000 Drivers
3 articles · Updated · CalMatters · Aug 12
Summary
California’s new Gig Workers Union cleared the state threshold to represent ride-hailing drivers after signing up at least 30% of active drivers, organizers said at a Los Angeles press conference.
The union says it could become the world’s largest ride-hailing driver organization, drawing from roughly 350,000 California drivers and aiming to start bargaining with Uber and Lyft by year-end.
Drivers want talks to focus on deactivations, low pay and how company algorithms shape their work — unusual demands for workers the companies classify as independent contractors.
California became only the second state after Massachusetts to allow ride-hailing drivers to unionize, with Illinois passing a similar law last week, signaling broader pressure on the gig-work model.