In Historic First, Uber and Lyft Drivers Unite to Form Union

Drivers for Uber and Lyft formed the App Drivers Union and received state certification in Massachusetts. The union represents nearly 70,000 ride-share workers and allows collective bargaining in contract negotiations for the first time. The move shifts the long-running debate over whether ride-share workers should be classified as independent contractors and what labor protections they should receive. The federal National Labor Relations Act does not cover these drivers, but a 2024 Massachusetts ballot measure legalized organization and collective bargaining. The measure did not create a union, and certification came after the required steps through the state Department of Labor Relations.

"Massachusetts officially certified the organization representing the drivers on Friday, in a move that Governor Maura Healey (D) called a historic moment. Ride-share drivers are crucial members of our workforce and our communities, and they deserve a real voice in shaping their wages, benefits and working conditions, she said in a statement to The New York Times."

"The organization, the App Drivers Union, will represent nearly 70,000 workers in the state, giving them the ability to collectively bargain in contract negotiations the first time an agreement of that kind can be reached, the organization said."

"The formation of the union marks a massive shift in the years-long debate over the classification of ride-share employees, whose demarcation as independent contractors has consistently posed questions about labor protections. For too long, the gig economy was built on a fools' bargain: the companies got rich and workers scraped by."

"Drivers for these app-based companies are not covered by the federal National Labor Relations Act, but were able to form their new union after a 2024 ballot measure in Massachusetts. The measure legalized organization and collective bargaining for drivers, but did not create a union itself."

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