Convening together in California as drivers is never illegal anymore. Last August, Lyft and Uber drivers won union recognition, which means forming unions in the Golden State to raise concerns and make the driving experience better is official.
But, how will drivers leverage this? Here’s the scoop.
Unions may be a “side dish” to a ridesharing driver’s work, but they are beneficial, almost up to the point that they are very necessary. A drivers’ union is an organization of transport workers that negotiates for better pay, safety standards, and working conditions. Benefits include higher wages, healthcare, job security, and collective legal protection against unfair treatment.
For one ridesharing driver in this state, this means getting more time, and therefore, getting more money. Point well taken.
“Time is money,” Lee Martinez, a California driver, said. “I think I could speak for anyone when it comes to Lyft. Time is money.”
Even the authorities who approved the legalization of these unions here believe that the drivers really succeded. They stated that these gig drivers finally got “something they have been denied for far, far too long,” and that is power at the bargaining table. With unions, they got possession of a “people power” of some sort.
First, these drivers will leverage these unions to survey the workforce. This shall be done to assess working conditions and priorities, and bargain whenever they need to.
For instance, how drivers’ earnings are cut from each ride shall be properly lobbied and addressed through these unions.
Gurpreet Pannu, a Lyft driver in Roseville, told the RSF team, “As I matured, I fell in love with Sacramento again. And I’m like, I need to find a job here, because I’m going to stick around here for a little bit, [but] what’s coming to me is way less…”
Drivers are also looking at utilizing their union to address problems, and to make sure they get the support from customer service teams whenever they need this.
“You want to get out of a situation, and I’m there. It’s easy to be there for somebody,” Martinez added. “You just feel heroic in a way.”
How about you? What do you think? How can drivers like these people leverage this union to improve their working conditions? You don’t have to be a ridesharing driver for you to answer this question! Create your account now on this RSF site to share your thoughts! You may also share this story around with your family and friends! Game on!