California rideshare drivers, local elected officials and labor leaders arrive in a caravan from West Sacramento at the Capitol on Labor Day Monday, Sept. 7, 2020, for a “No on Prop. 22” rally in Sacramento.
Xavier Mascareñas
Sacramento Bee file
A union representing Uber and Lyft drivers crossed an important threshold this week when it was certified by the Public Employment Relations Board.
The move will allow the California Gig Workers Union to help drivers negotiate issues affecting working conditions and benefits. It comes as at least 30% of active drivers expressed support of the union.
“As the certified driver bargaining organization, CGWU now has the right to represent all (Uber and Lyft) drivers in the unit and to bargain … over terms and conditions of work,” the public employment board wrote in statement.
Assembly Bill 1340 helped bring the union to fruition by allowing the independent contractor drivers to engage in collective bargaining. It’s considered the most significant change to labor laws governing the ride-hailing industry since the California Supreme Court upheld most of the industry-backed Proposition 22 last year.
“Labor and industry sat down together, worked through their differences, and found common ground that will empower hundreds of thousands of drivers while making rideshare more affordable for millions of Californians,” Gov. Gavin Newsom previously wrote in a statement. “It’s proof that California can do big things, tackle tough issues, and improve peoples’ lives.”
About 800,000 drivers could be affected by the union, according to previous Sacramento Bee reporting.
Uber is the largest rideshare company in the Golden State, as it provided Californians with more than 48.4 million rides from April through June, according to data released by PERB. Lyft is the second-largest at nearly 26.2 million rides.
The Sacramento Bee
Corey Schmidt is a watchdog reporter for The Sacramento Bee, focusing on Folsom, El Dorado Hills and Sacramento County’s eastern suburbs. Previously, he was the government watchdog reporter for the St. Cloud Times in Minnesota. Schmidt received his bachelor’s degree from DePaul University in Chicago and his master’s degree from Yale University.