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Massachusetts bills would set a minimum wage for rideshare drivers

<p>Massachusetts politicians are still pushing for better working conditions (https://www.engadget.com/uber-lyft-lawsuit-massachusetts-181649594.html) for ridesharing drivers. New bills in the state House (https://malegislature.gov/Bills/193/HD2071) and Senate (https://malegislature.gov/Bills/193/SD1162) would not only pursue collective bargaining rights across companies, as with past measures, but would guarantee a minimum wage, paid sick leave and other benefits. Companies like Uber and Lyft would also have to cover some driver expenses and pour money into the government's unemployment insurance system.</p><p>The new legislation wouldn't decide whether drivers are employees or independent contractors. However, Senate bill co-sponsor Jason Lewis told the State House News Service (https://www.wbur.org/news/2023/01/24/uber-lyft-rideshare-legislation-unions) his bill would establish requirements that apply regardless of a driver's status. Previous bills would have tasked workers with negotiating for benefits that are now included, Lewis says.</p><span id="end-legacy-contents"></span><p>Massachusetts sued Uber and Lyft in 2020 for allegedly misclassifying drivers as contractors and denying protections granted under state labor law. The companies responded with a proposed ballot measure (https://www.engadget.com/massachusets-court-gig-worker-ballot-proposal-rejected-201748443.html) that would have offered benefits in return for requiring that drivers be treated as contractors. The state's Supreme Judicial Court rejected that proposal last June.</p><p>We've asked Uber and Lyft for comment. In a statement, the Service Employees International Union (a bill proponent) says the bill &quot;rewrites the rules&quot; and gives condition drivers have sought for over a decade. The Massachusetts Coalition for Independent Work, an industry-run organization that opposes the legislation, previously claimed that measures granting employee status don't reflect a &quot;vast majority&quot; of drivers that want to remain contractors. The coalition prefers bills that would bring the anti-employee ballot proposal to the legislature as well as create portable benefit accounts.</p><p>The state has been one of the major battlegrounds for ridesharing work conditions, but it's only one part of a larger fight. Uber and New York City's Taxi and Limousine Commission have fought over pay raises (https://www.engadget.com/nyc-court-blocks-uber-and-lyft-driver-pay-raise-205406394.html), while a California law meant to reclassify many gig economy workers (https://www.engadget.com/2019-09-18-california-governor-signs-ab-5-gig-economy-law.html) as employees has faced unsuccessful attempts to carve out exemptions (https://www.engadget.com/california-judge-finds-prop-22-unconstitutional-043822868.html) for companies like Uber and Lyft.</p>

Source: Massachusetts bills would set a minimum wage for rideshare drivers (https://www.engadget.com/massachussets-union-collective-barganing-bills-171600875.html?src=rss)