Court Injunction on Unionization for Rideshare Companies Wins Praise From CEI Labor Expert

Today, a federal judge in Seattle issued a temporary injunction against a Seattle law on unionization for rideshare companies. CEI labor policy expert Trey Kovacs praised the ruling:

Thanks to today’s ruling that temporarily blocks a Seattle law extending collective bargaining privileges to Uber and Lyft drivers, the court spared drivers some real pitfalls associated with the union election process. Those pitfalls include forcing drivers to give their private information to the designated union or being saddled with union representation that many current and future drivers would have no say in choosing. For the time being, at least, ride-sharing platforms can still offer consumers affordable and convenient alternatives to traditional taxicabs. Union restrictions and dues would mean less flexibility for drivers and higher prices for riders. 

Related resources:

• Seattle Forced Union Dues Scheme Faces Legal Challenge
• CEI Comments on Seattle Ride-Share Ordinance
• Uber Publishes Core Principles to Guide Seattle’s Union Election Procedures
• Seattle Regulators Go After Rideshare Driver Privacy