Uber, Lyft drivers could unionize under New York plan
The plan could clash with federal labor and antitrust laws.
Tusk Holdings CEO Bradley Tusk, and early Uber investor, discusses the California proposal which would force Uber and Lyft to make their drivers full-time employees.
A bill brought by New York lawmakers could allow drivers for Uber and Lyft to unionize, according to Bloomberg News.
It is a plan that could clash with federal labor and antitrust laws.
Sen. Diane Savino (D) and Assemblyman Marcos Crespo (D) plan to introduce the legislation in January.
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Uber and Lyft have been fighting class actions over the status of drivers as either independent contractors or employees.
| Ticker | Security | Last | Change | Change % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| UBER | UBER TECHNOLOGIES INC. | 69.13 | -0.20 | -0.29% |
| LYFT | LYFT INC. | 16.57 | -0.73 | -4.22% |
If you are an independent contractor, you don't qualify for minimum wage, overtime pay, unemployment insurance and workers' compensation benefits.
One potential hurdle is that when the issue of collective bargaining involves small business owners it can be seen as price fixing, which would raise antitrust concerns.
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A federal judge in Washington state in 2017 struck down a Seattle ordinance that would have allowed Uber and Lyft drivers to organize despite their independent-contractor status.