A reported 50,000 rideshare drivers for Lyft and Uber in California have recently signed cards to join the existing California Gig Workers Union (CGWU). The union’s growth isn’t the result of strong grassroots support but of state lawmakers forcing it on the drivers.
Organizing gig workers has been a major project for unions over the past two decades because those workers have grown as a part of the economy. Gig worker is just another term for an independent contractor or freelancer—that is, anyone in business for themselves who chooses when to work. That’s the case with rideshare drivers for Uber and Lyft, who determine when and for how long they drive.
It is not impossible to organize freelancers, but historically it has been a lot harder to do. These are not traditional employees who all work at the same location, where union organizers can potentially find a large audience. Gig workers are almost never at the same place at the same time, making it harder for organizers to round up support. They also tend to be independent people who’d rather not be subject to others’ rules.
California Governor Gavin Newsom, a staunch union ally, helped union organizers by signing Assembly Bill 1340 late last year. The law requires only 10 percent of drivers to sign documents backing a union before a workplace election could be ordered to settle the issue. The National Labor Relations Act (NLRA), the main federal law covering union rights, requires a 30 percent showing of interest...
A former Tasmanian nurse has had her registration cancelled after a tribunal found she falsely claimed qualifications when applying for paramedic and senior nursing jobs. In a decision handed down...