A ride-share drivers union says it’s been recognized by Massachusetts, making it the first certified Uber/Lyft drivers union in the nation.
The App Drivers Union said Monday that it will represent nearly 70,000 drivers in the state, which would be the largest group of private-sector workers to have their union recognized since Ford workers joined the United Auto Workers in 1941.
“It’s one of the biggest organizing union victories in the last century,” the union’s executive director, Autumn Weintraub, told The Boston Globe.
The App Drivers Union received support from 32% of active ride-share drivers, Massachusetts’ Department of Labor Relations found, above the 25% threshold required by state law for certification. Other unions had until Friday afternoon to trigger an election with their own support from at least 25% of the group, as did ride-share drivers who oppose being represented by a union.
A celebration of the certification with Gov. Maura Healey is set for Tuesday at the State House.
“This is a historic day for the state, for the country,” Healey said Monday, noting that drivers being able to unionize “means better pay, better wages for them, for their families, so it’s a really great thing. We want people in Massachusetts to have the kind of wages that can support their families.”
As a recognized union, the App Drivers Union will be able to collectively bargain on behalf of the state’s ride-share drivers for a contract — the organization says no collective bargaining agreement has ever been reached between drivers and ride-share giants like Uber and Lyft.
Massachusetts voters approved ride-share drivers’ right to unionize in 2024, with 54% approving the ballot measure. The state’s government is also moving to increase regulation on drivers under a proposal from the Department of Public Utility that would ensure drivers face more rigorous background checks and riders get more ways to verify they’re in the right car.
The App Drivers Union is affiliated with the Service Employees International Union and International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers. The presidents of both organizations were scheduled to attend the 10 a.m. rally in Boston.
