Seattle becomes first United States city to let Uber drivers unionize

Seattle is the first city in the nation to allow drivers of ride-hailing companies such as Uber and Lyft to unionize over pay and working conditions.

The bill was sponsored by Council member Mike O’Brien who said he introduced the measure out of necessity after witnessing how little power the drivers themselves had in working for a living wage.

In the a year ago, Seattle’s Uber services came under fire for cutting its per-mile rates and slashing down fare prices, both of which critics said came at the cost of the drivers.

Last week, a US judge ruled that many more Uber drivers in California could participate in a class action against the ride service over their employment status, even if they did not opt out of an arbitration clause in their contracts. “Unfortunately, the ordinance passed today threatens the privacy of drivers, imposes substantial costs on passengers and the City, and conflicts with longstanding federal law”. And they remain exempt from federal labor laws that guarantee the right to form unions and collectively bargain with employers. Murray said after the vote that he wouldn’t sign the legislation, but under the City Charter it will still become law.

While drivers and activists flooded out of City Council chambers to offer congratulations on Monday afternoon, many said that the battle was not yet over.

In a response to a request for a comment on the legislation, Uber said in a statement it is “creating new opportunities for many people to earn a better living on their own time and their own terms”.

While largely supported by drivers, the ordinance has been strongly opposed by both Uber and Lyft, both of which have previously indicated their intention to challenge such legislation in court.

The story of Uber driver Tekele Gobena gave me a number of reasons to rethink my once-frequent use of app-based ride-hailing services.

Uber has built its business on the contractor model, arguing that its smartphone app simply connects riders and drivers, who own their cars and pay their own expenses.