Uber drivers to be able to unionize in Seattle

The companies have vowed to challenge the legislation in court. It already has support from the local Teamsters union, which is working with the App-Based Drivers Association to represent hundreds of Uber and other drivers in the Seattle area.

“As a cab driver, making a living has become really hard”, a Seattle-based taxi driver wrote on a Teamsters blog supporting the bill. “Not a problem”, said Laramy, adding that the company, founded in 2014, would work at “startup speed”.

What’s more, opponents have charged that allowing contractors to organize and bargain together amounts to a violation of federal anti-trust laws. Opponents also argue it would be costly for the city to implement, it would violate drivers’ privacy because their information would be given to the organization and it would stifle the growth of the on-demand economy.

Saad Melouchi, who drives for Uber, burst into cheers and hugged others outside City Council chambers after the vote.

Samuel Estreicher, a law professor at New York University, said that if the drivers aren’t considered as employees under federal labor law, there’s no serious argument over whether that law pre-empts the city ordinance.

In fact, no council member voted “no” and the bill passed 8-0.

Councilman Mike O’Brien, who proposed the law, said he expects Uber to sue the city to stop the measure. I remain concerned that this ordinance, as passed by the Council, includes several flaws, especially related to the relatively unknown costs of administering the collective bargaining process and the burden of significant rulemaking the Council has placed on City staff. My office has shared my concerns with the Council throughout the debate, including a letter I sent to Council today. Under the City Charter, the ordinance will become law without my signature.

Uber drivers will be able to unionize in Seattle. The same goes for Lyft, as each company released statements Monday afternoon defending their decision to classify workers as contractors. There is, of course, the much-hyped class action lawsuit the companies will face in California next June. Since the company makes deductions from their pay, decides which routes they take, can penalize them and even let them go, they insist Uber is more of an employer than a partner.

A few drivers in Seattle have complained about working conditions, including low wages.

Under the proposal, ride-hailing apps will be required to give lists of their drivers to driver representative organizations.

Uber driver Fasil Teka said he works seven days a week for sometimes more than 10 hours a day just to get by. This isn’t the first time Uber has faced claims of unfair treatment for drivers – in 2013, drivers for its black towncar service staged a strike outside its San Francisco, Calif. headquarters with some seeking to form a union, but that ultimately did not succeed.

Many drivers have applauded the union ordinance since its inception, hoping to have more control over per-mile rates and avoid no-notice deactivation – essentially being fired – among other issues.