Mighetto is on the front line of a battle over not just the future of Uber but the gig economy itself. The app-based casual-work industry has become a force in the modern economy. The conflict will come to a head in nine days when a powerful coalition of five gig-economy giants, led by Uber, attempts to rewrite employment law in California. The five have ploughed an astonishing $195m into the campaign.
The companies claim their proposal will ensure flexible working for millions. An oddity of California politics means that if you can gather 623,000 signatures from the state population of 40 million, you can put any measure you want on the ballot. Voters will decide on Proposition 22, as the gig-economy measure is known, on November 3 — the same day they choose the next US president.
If approved, the move would exempt app-based services from a law, passed in 2018 and put into effect in January, that requires them to treat their workers as employees, guaranteeing higher wages and benefits such as paid holidays.
We might even suggest that Uber et al are just trying to return employment law to where it was three years ago.
This new law, as an example, says that if I were to write a column for a California newspaper – you know, normal weekly stuff – then I would have to be an employee of that newspaper or magazine. The idea that freelancing should be banned being more than a little odd…..
If approved, the move would exempt app-based services from a law . . .
An exemption for multi-million dollar tech companies but not for everyone else. Presumably these tech companies will benefit further by all freelancing being forced into their “app-based” walled gardens.
It’s interesting how a service that is liked and used by millions is so loathed by politicans that crushing Uber and Lyft, even if unpopular, is something they are attempting. I suspect there was more money funnelling from the taxi industry to local politicians than any of us knew.
After screams from the newspaper industry, they were exempted from having to classify newspaper deliverers as employees.
@ TD
Over here the newspaper delivery boys are classified as part-time employees of the newsagent shops – but they are exempted from workplace pension schemes on the grounds of age and from NI as their pay is below the threshold.
@ Tim,
The unions support the Democratic Party, the one that rules California. Hence the desire to ban freelancing.
I doubt that many papers are delivered by kids on bikes these days. It’s been several years since I last subscribed to a physical paper, but I remember I used to hear the car drive up and the paper hit the front steps. Also, a lot of deliverers fill those newspaper dispenser boxes. My guess is that in the US most paper deliverers these days are adults.
‘an astonishing $195m into the campaign.’ That doesn’t sound like much as these things go. Think of the never-ending barrage of propaganda about Greenism, racism, Islamophobia, ‘refugees’, giving more money to foreigners etc.
I think they’re doing it on the cheap.
Tim…you’d only be considered an employee if you wrote for the same firm more than 35 times a year (https://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/exempt-job-categories-under-californias-new-ab5-law.html).
Yes, one column a week is 52 pieces….