California Uber and Lyft drivers are moving closer to forming a union that the rideshare companies would be required to recognize if state officials approve the effort. The California Gig Workers Union recently asked regulators to verify whether enough drivers support unionizing. If the request is approved, Uber and Lyft would have to negotiate wages, benefits, and working conditions with drivers. Many drivers say they want more influence over how they are treated, especially regarding pay, workplace policies, and sudden account suspensions. Last year, California lawmakers approved legislation granting rideshare drivers the right to organize and bargain collectively. Delivery drivers, however, were not included in the measure. Uber and Lyft have long argued that drivers should remain independent contractors rather than employees, a classification that allows the companies to avoid providing union protections and certain wage guarantees required under federal labor laws for app-based workers across California and the broader gig economy nationwide.
