Drivers for apps such as Uber and Lyft have unionized in Massachusetts, and will be represented by an organization that on Monday said it was the first officially recognized union in the United States to represent ride-share drivers.
In a news release, the organization, the App Drivers Union, said it would represent nearly 70,000 workers in Massachusetts who now have the power to collectively bargain.
The union can now begin contract negotiations with Uber and Lyft. Issues at the bargaining table will most likely include pay, driver safety and deactivation, which is when drivers lose access to an app.
Drivers for ride-share companies won the right to unionize in Massachusetts in November 2024 through a statewide ballot initiative. Voters backed the measure with 54 percent in support and 46 percent against. The ballot measure made it legal for ride-share drivers to organize and bargain as a collective, but did not automatically give drivers union representation.
Gov. Maura Healey called the certification a “historic moment” in an emailed statement. “Ride-share drivers are crucial members of our work force and our communities, and they deserve a real voice in shaping their wages, benefits and working conditions,” the governor said. She planned to celebrate the certification with labor leaders at the State House on Tuesday.
Uber said in a statement that it would work closely with the union, drivers and the state government. “Together, we will ensure that driver flexibility and hard-won benefits remain the foundation of our progress, while upholding the highest standards of safety, data security, transparency and public accountability,” the company said in a statement.
Lyft said in a statement that it was “committed to engaging in good faith,” adding: “Lyft does well when drivers do well, and we’ll stay focused on helping drivers succeed while keeping ride-share affordable and dependable for everyone who counts on it.”
The App Drivers Union is backed by the Service Employees International Union, Local 32BJ and the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers.
For the drivers to get to this point, a union had to file a petition with the state’s Department of Labor Relations to show that at least 5 percent of drivers had designated that union as their representative.
Then, the union had to obtain certification from the state in one of two ways: either through a vote where a majority of active drivers say they want union representation, or by the union showing that at least 25 percent of active drivers have designated it as their bargaining representative.
On May 15, the Department of Labor Relations said the App Drivers Union had showed that it had been designated as the bargaining representative for at least 32 percent of active ride-share drivers, clearing the 25 percent threshold. Then there was a seven-day waiting period, which ended at 5 p.m. on Friday, before the union could be officially certified.
Similar unionization efforts are underway in other states. California ride-share drivers formally gained the right to unionize in January. In Illinois, drivers rallied at the State Capitol this month in support of a bill that would give them collective bargaining rights.
Amanda Holpuch covers breaking news and other topics.
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