Rideshare Drivers Union Recognized as First in U.S. Massachusetts has certified the App Drivers Union as the first organization in the United States to represent rideshare drivers, marking a significant milestone in labor rights for gig economy workers. The union, which will represent nearly 70,000 drivers across the state, is the largest group of private-sector workers to secure union recognition since Ford employees joined the United Auto Workers in 1941. This certification follows a state law requiring at least 25% support from active rideshare drivers, a threshold the union surpassed with 32% backing. The App Drivers Union’s certification was announced by its executive director, Autumn Weintraub, who called it “one of the biggest organizing union victories in the last century.” The union’s ability to collectively bargain on behalf of drivers represents a critical shift, as it is the first time rideshare drivers in Massachusetts will have the legal power to negotiate contracts with companies like Uber and Lyft. Prior to this, no collective bargaining agreement had been reached between drivers and the rideshare giants. Governor Maura Healey hailed the certification as a “historic day for the state, for the country,” emphasizing that unionization would lead to “better pay, better wages for them, for their families.” Healey’s remarks underscored the state’s commitment to improving working conditions for gig workers, a stance reinforced by the 2024 ballot measure that approved rideshare drivers’ right to unionize. Massachusetts voters overwhelmingly supported the measure, with 54% of ballots in favor. The certification process was part of a broader effort to regulate the rideshare industry.#maura_healey #app_drivers_union #autumn_weintraub #service_employees_international_union
