Seattle lawmakers side with Uber, taxi drivers

The Seattle City Council took the first swing at the nation's ballooning freelance "gig" economy, approving a measure that would give app-based drivers and others in the jurisdiction the ability to collectively bargain over their wages and working conditions.

Drivers stood up and were counted in Seattle fight.

Under the proposal, drivers would have the ability to come together to choose a nonprofit organization to represent them. Once authorized, the organization could engage in collective bargaining on the drivers’ behalf. The new law would apply to all taxi drivers, for-hire drivers and drivers for app-based dispatch companies, such as Uber and Lyft.

Drivers and community supporters celebrated the bill’s passage, calling it a turning point toward greater protections for workers in a changing economic landscape. Peter Kuel, an Uber driver and member of the leadership council of the App-Based Drivers Association, said:

Since I started driving for Uber, Uber has cut our pay without notice, terminated drivers without giving a reason and blocked our efforts to improve our working conditions. We’re looking for fairness and the ability to earn a living wage. 

Seattle app-based drivers as well as traditional taxi drivers are already aligned with Teamsters Local 117.Taxi drivers formed the Western Washington Taxicab Operators Association in 2012. In 2013, drivers for app-based dispatch companies formed the App-Based Drivers Association.

Because of their disputed status as independent contractors, however, for-hire drivers don't have the ability to unionize through a traditional National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) election process, and they aren't covered under Seattle's wage theft, sick leave or new $15 an hour minimum wage law.

John Scearcy, Secretary-Treasurer of Local 117, is hopeful the legislation -- if signed by the mayor -- will go a long way towards making things more fair:

All workers, no matter where they work or the nature of their work, deserve the opportunity to have a voice. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights identifies the right of workers to bargain collectively as a fundamental human right. Now these workers have that right.

Figuring out the future of organizing as the gig economy continues to grow in the U.S. is a major challenge for workers. The Teamsters' victory earlier this year in the "Browning-Ferris" case decided by the NLRB was seen by many as an opportunity to expand union representation among millions of workers nationwide who previously were misclassified as independent contractors.

Legal challenges to the NLRB ruling have already been filed and are expected if the Seattle measure becomes law. But these rulings are just more proof that when workers are Teamster Strong, America is Stronger!

Teamsters help push Uber, Lyft and 5 tech giants out of ALEC since August 20

Uber and Lyft just now announced they are leaving ALEC, just after four tech giants in four days announced they're severing ties with the corporate escort service for state lawmakers.

Earlier this week, Google, Facebook, yelp and Yahoo! announced they're dumping ALEC. And on August 20, Microsoft said it was leaving as well.

Common Cause reported,

Two of the largest ride-share companies in the United States, Uber and Lyft, have confirmed to Common Cause that they have no interest in continuing to participate in the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC), a secretive corporate lobbying group. 

Uber and Lyft were invited to ALEC’s annual meeting in Dallas in August and spoke on a panel dealing with the ride share industry. Uber even offered ALEC convention attendees a 30% discount on all rides in Dallas during the conference. Uber also was listed on ALEC’s secret 2013 prospects, published by The Guardian in December 2013. 

Despite ALEC’s efforts to recruit the two growing companies to become corporate members, Lyft spokesperson Chelsea Wilson told Common Cause that the company was “not a member” and has no plans to participate or join the organization. Lane Kasselman, a spokesperson from Uber, also told Common Cause “we attended the Dallas meeting, but are not members and have no plans to participate, fund, or join the organization.”

These devastating losses for the Koch-funded lobbying shop result from the efforts of Teamsters and other union members, environmentalists and civic groups. As part of the ALECexposed community, we've worked hard to shine a spotlight on the corrupting influence of this shadowy group.

As Insider Brief reports years of effort are coming to fruition:

Everyday this week we have witnessed one tech juggernaut after another publicly part ways with ALEC (we - the ALECexposed community - has been directly encouraging them come out of the reprehensible-policy-closet this week).

Though the anti-ALEC campaign has recently focused on climate change, the recent development are great news for anyone who cares about workers' rights, workers' safety and workers' standards of living.

Or, for that matter, anyone who cares about civil rights, democracy, public education, income inequality, privatization, retirement security or taxes (ALEC wants them raised on you, cut for the billionaires).

Great work, everyone!