Rideshare and delivery drivers make up a growing sector of workers who are moving Massachusetts. Yet, we currently lack access to basic rights on the jobs, including:
App-based companies such as Uber, Lyft, Doordash, and InstaCart spent millions trying to pass a state ballot initiative that would have excluded rideshare and delivery drivers from receiving basic workplace protections and subjected us to earning less than minimum wage. We fought back and won – but Big Tech app companies won’t stop trying to exploit drivers for the sake of profit.
That’s why rideshare and delivery drivers in Massachusetts are joining together in the Massachusetts Independent Drivers Guild to demand collective bargaining rights that will allow us to negotiate with app companies for the pay and benefits we deserve.
When workers have a say in their pay and working conditions, it directly correlates with higher wages and safer workplaces. Gig or on-demand employers are known for exploiting workers, practices that have left many Massachusetts rideshare drivers struggling to survive despite performing a valuable service that riders depend on.
Since the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, more people have turned to rideshare driving than ever before to make ends meet. Recently, Uber and Lyft reported record-breaking revenue and increased ridership to their platforms. But where is our share? For too many of us, we have been barely surviving even while driving full time. Meanwhile, Big Tech executives make millions off of our labor.
The establishment of collective bargaining rights for rideshare drivers in Massachusetts will change the balance of power and give us a seat at the table on the issues that matter most. The data shows that when workers have collective bargaining rights, they also have living wages, better standards, and safer working conditions. By standing united, we will win a voice at work!
Now that Uber and Lyft’s ballot initiative has been struck down by the Massachusetts Supreme Court, we have an incredible opportunity to advance our needs for fair pay, benefits, and the right to a union, and to be at the forefront of the fight for rideshare and delivery driver rights in Massachusetts. Join us in shaping an equitable future for MA rideshare and delivery drivers!
“We need app workers’ voices to be taken seriously. Now that Big Tech’s ballot initiative has been defeated, it’s time for policymakers to focus on expanding rights for drivers and delivery workers so we can enjoy the fundamental labor protections that so many workers across our Commonwealth do.”
– Cletus Awah, MA IDG member
“MassIDG is behind me. I can feel its passion. It is supporting drivers and I now have a sense of security. It’s what the drivers need.” – Yasir Elawad, MA IDG member