Ruling opens the door for gig drivers as drivers considered independent contractors

The California Court of Appeals ruled Monday that companies such as Uber, DoorDash and Lyft can classify their rideshare and delivery drivers as independent contractors under Proposition 22.

Theresa Rutherford, executive board member of SEIU California and President of SEIU 1021 commented: “The Appeals Court upheld the fundamental policy behind the measure — to protect the independent contractor status of app-based drivers in California while providing drivers with new benefits,” said a statement by the Protect App-Based Drivers and Services coalition.

“The right to join together in a union is the most powerful way for workers to challenge gig corporations’ exploitative business model that profits off of paying low wages and silencing its workers,”

“Today’s ruling opens the door to the possibility for gig drivers and delivery workers to transform their industry through a strong voice on the job,” Rutherford said. “However, the fact that these workers are still being denied the basic protections most workers have in California is a travesty.”

Proposition 22 came about after the California Legislature passed AB 5, which aimed to make it more difficult to classify workers as independent contractors.