A California appeals court ruled Monday that the state’s law granting independent drivers of apps like Uber is not unconstitutional, a victory for the company, which refuses to consider its employees to be governing.
“Today’s decision is a victory for the workers and millions of Californians who voted for Proposition 22,” said Tony West, Uber’s chief legislative officer, referring to the 2020 referendum-approved law that classified drivers as contractors. independent and not employees.
Uber, its competitor Lyft, and similar applications refuse to consider drivers as employees, which would mean giving them any rights such as unemployment insurance or the possibility of collective bargaining.
Companies and unions defending the state of the employee won the first battle in August 2021, when the judge declared the 22 proposition “unconstitutional”.
Consulted by AFP, the company RDU (Rideshare Drivers United) is not immediately involved in the plan.
Uber embodies the “gig economy” or on-demand economy, where individuals provide their services for a fixed period of time and their role, a model widely adapted in the main cities of the world, but also highly criticized.
The company has defended that economic model, even though it has had to give up in several countries.
In 2021, the UK will be forced to give workers status, with minimum wages and paid holidays.
But in the field he does not take up the yard.
Along with Lyft and other traditional apps, he spent more than $200 million in 2020 to promote the “yes” vote on the 22nd proposal, which ultimately won with 58.6% of the referendum.
Three months before the vote, both companies threatened to stop service in the state, which would have put thousands of Californians out of work.
West said Monday that “drivers across the state are happy with Proposition 22, which allows them to enjoy the benefits of job flexibility while keeping applications.”
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