Seattle, WA
Instacart, DoorDash, and other apps appear to be trying to roll back Seattle's new laws for gig workers
On February 29, Instacart sent an email with a link to a survey to its gig worker shoppers in Seattle. Its stated purpose: To figure out what its shoppers thought of the city’s new law on gig work.
But in the preamble to the survey, Instacart indicated it already had thoughts about how things were going. “Some shoppers are seeing a negative impact on earnings, limited service areas for batches, and decreased order frequency,” the email read. “That’s why it’s crucial we hear from you about exactly how these changes have influenced you and your work with Instacart.”
The survey is one example of how Instacart, DoorDash, and other gig work companies have been pushing back on a law that took effect in Seattle this past January. The law, one of multiple proposals known collectively as “Pay Up,” most notably aims to increase delivery workers’ pay to a rate comparable with Seattle’s $19.97 minimum wage.
The companies lobbied against the proposals before the Seattle City Council. But they haven’t given up the fight just because they’ve become law.
Some of the questions in Instacart’s survey asked shoppers about how their earnings or wait times for orders had changed since the pay law took effect.
One asked shoppers whether they supported or opposed Pay Up — but only after offering Instacart’s own explanation in the previous questions about the law.
That’s caught some workers’ attention.
“There were so many red flags in that survey that, of course, I didn’t want to bother to do it,” one Instacart shopper who delivers orders in Seattle told Business Insider. The shopper asked not to be identified for fear of having their Instacart account deactivated, but BI verified their employment and identity.
The survey also asked shoppers whether they were waiting longer to claim orders to shop or earning more or less from Instacart customer tips — even though Instacart itself plays a commanding role in determining both, the shopper told BI.
After Pay Up took effect, for instance, Instacart reduced the default tip on orders within Seattle to 0%. Before the law took effect, it was 5%. The survey also didn’t mention that Instacart had increased fees for customers since the law took effect, the shopper said.
On Wednesday, Instacart said that the survey had garnered responses from “more than 250 shoppers.” The summary touted that a super-majority of shoppers in Seattle said their experience on the app had gotten worse since Pay Up became law in January, with earnings down and wait times to claim orders up.
“A staggering 82% have said tips are down since PayUp took effect,” the summary says, for example, without mentioning Instacart’s change to its default tip in Seattle.
A spokesperson for Instacart told Business Insider that “the voice of shoppers is critical in helping to shape public policy across the country, and we regularly reach out to shoppers to understand their experience on the platform. In one recent survey, 72% of shoppers surveyed in Seattle told us their experience has been worse since the PayUp law took effect.
“Elected officials, especially in Seattle, rely heavily on the voices of local constituents — including workers, businesses, and customers — to inform the direction of their policy proposals,” they continued. “Instacart will continue to listen to shoppers and help empower them to make their voices heard in important policy conversations.”
About a month later, in March, Instacart sent out another email to shoppers. While it didn’t reference the survey, it did claim that the company had heard from shoppers whose pay had gone down and who were waiting longer to claim batches of orders. “It’s clear that this new law isn’t working and unfortunately, this is exactly what we warned the Council would happen,” the email read.
The message included a link to a form with a pre-written letter, which pointed to many of the same issues that the survey had alluded to, including lower pay and wait times. It instructed shoppers to add their own experiences and then submit it to Instacart as a testimonial for the city council.
Some shoppers posted the email on Reddit. One poster, who included screenshots of the message, encouraged other Instacart shoppers to turn the pre-written letter to the city council around. “Instead, tell them to crack down on Instacart’s retaliation,” the post read, referring to the costs that the company passed on to customers.
“I actually removed some of the text and I rephrased it to say, ‘Thank you for passing Pay Up,’” the Instacart shopper who spoke with BI said.
Other companies have made their gig workers aware of their stance on Seattle’s new law, even if they haven’t issued calls to action like Instacart’s.
About a week after Seattle’s pay law took effect, DoorDash sent an email to its workers in Seattle with claims that Dashers would see fewer offers and wait longer to claim them. DoorDash also said in the message that it would end its Top Dasher and Priority Access programs in Seattle, both of which allow delivery workers access to better-paying batches if their metrics, such as customer ratings, are high enough.
“These new rules restrict platforms from rewarding high quality Dashers,” the email read, referencing Pay Up.
“It’s painfully clear from listening to Dashers, merchants and consumers that this new law simply isn’t working,” a DoorDash spokesperson told BI.
“The regulatory response fee in Seattle helps offset the costs associated with the current law,” the spokesperson said. “If those costs can be decreased through reform legislation, we will explore all options to increase affordability for consumers, including a reduction of the fee.”
Uber Eats and Grubhub have also put out statements saying that things have gotten worse for their gig workers since Seattle’s law took effect. The companies have also added fees for customers since Pay Up took effect. DoorDash, for instance, has added a $4.99 charge to orders in Seattle, though nothing in the Pay Up legislation required it.
Seattle’s city council is considering significant changes to Pay Up in hopes that the companies will take away those fees, local news outlets reported in recent weeks.
Anna Powell, a DoorDash government relations manager, told GeekWire in February that the company’s goal was more ambitious.
“We would like to see a repeal of the ordinance,” Powell said.
Do you work for Instacart, DoorDash, Walmart Spark, or another gig delivery service and have a story idea to share? Reach out to this reporter at abitter@businessinsider.com
Seattle, WA
Joey Daccord makes 35 saves as Seattle Kraken earn 2-1 win over Hurricanes
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON – MARCH 02: Andrei Svechnikov #37 of the Carolina Hurricanes shoots the puck during the second period of a game against the Seattle Kraken at Climate Pledge Arena on March 02, 2026 in Seattle, Washington. (Christopher Mast / NHLI / Getty Images)
SEATTLE – Joey Daccord made 35 saves and the Seattle Kraken survived a 6-on-4 penalty kill for the final 90 seconds for a 2-1 victory over the East’s top team in the Carolina Hurricanes on Monday night.
Kaapo Kakko and Ben Meyers each scored in the second period for the Kraken as they managed to beat a Hurricanes team that has the second-best record in the NHL, trailing only the Colorado Avalanche. The Kraken are now in a playoff spot by five points as they hold the No. 3 seed in the Pacific Division with 22 games to play.
Nikolaj Ehlers scored the only goal of the night for the Hurricanes late in the second period, but Seattle was able to withstand Carolina’s offensive push in the final period to secure a second straight victory.
The Hurricanes are always a high-volume shooting team and Daccord faced plenty of chances. Carolina had 83 shot attempts to just 31 for the Kraken. Shots on goal were 36-15 in favor of the Hurricanes as well, but scoring chances were just 20-13 in Carolina’s favor as Seattle did a good job limiting the danger of the shots sent at Daccord.
It was an eventful but scoreless first period between the two teams, with Carolina owning a 13-7 edge in shots. All three goals would come in the second.
Adam Larsson – who assisted on both goals for Seattle – deflected an Alexander Nikishin into the neutral zone to start a two-on-one rush chance for Kakko with Berkly Catton in support as Kakko ripped a shot through the armpit of Carolina goaltender Frederik Andersen for a 1-0 lead.
Kakko said he wanted to make the pass to Catton, but the lane was covered by Shane Ghostisbehere, so he elected to shoot.
The Kraken earned a power play chance three minutes later on a tripping call against Eric Robinson. Carolina completely neutered the man-advantage for the first 90 seconds before the Kraken appeared to extend the lead.
With 15 seconds left on the power play, the Kraken rushed into the Hurricanes’ zone with Kakko finding a streaking Jaden Schwartz open on the back door for an easy finish behind Andersen. However, Carolina successfully challenged the goal for a missed offsides on Shane Wright that wiped out the goal.
But the Kraken still managed to extend the lead soon after.
Jacob Melanson continues to be a spark plug for Seattle and helped restore the momentum immediately after the disallowed goal. On the shift coming out of the power play, Melanson delivered a big hit and connected with Adam Larsson on a breakout pass that sparked a rush. Ben Meyers crashed toward the net and was able to finish off his own rebound on a pass from Freddy Gaudreau to officially make it a 2-0 lead.
Melanson didn’t even get an assist out of the sequence, but was a big part of creating a goal for Seattle.
After being extremely sharp defensively all night, Carolina finally pounced on an opportunity the Kraken were unable to turn away. Vince Dunn was just unable to control a loose puck in front of Seattle’s net as it landed on the stick of Nikolaj Ehlers instead, who snapped a shot past Daccord to make it a 2-1 game with 90 seconds left in the second period.
The Hurricanes took 32 shots in the third period as they attempted to find a tying goal, but only nine made it to Daccord, and he stopped them all.
Eeli Tolvanen was called for Seattle’s first and only penalty of the night – a holding call after breaking his stick – with 90 seconds left to play. With Andersen on the bench for a six-on-four chance for Carolina, Daccord stopped all three shots he faced to close out the win for Seattle.
The Source: Information in this story came from FOX 13 Seattle reporting.
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Seattle, WA
MLB Mock Trade: Seattle Mariners Deal Luis Castillo to Atlanta Braves
The Seattle Mariners have had a busy offseason as they try to improve their roster and break through to the World Series for the first time in franchise history. Seattle has been active in free agency and on the trade market. One of their final roster questions is who will serve as the backup catcher behind Cal Raleigh. The Mariners could make one more move before the start of the season to address this need, potentially through a trade with the Atlanta Braves.
The Atlanta Braves are dealing with some serious injuries to their starting rotation this offseason. After an impressive 2025 campaign, Spencer Schwellenbach has been shut down because of bone spurs. Breakout candidate Hurston Waldrep was also shut down during Spring Training with elbow inflammation. Both pitchers underwent surgery in February, leaving two open spots in Atlanta’s rotation. Let’s break down a mock trade centered on Luis Castillo that could help fill those holes for the Braves.
Atlanta Braves – Seattle Mariners Mock Trade
Atlanta Braves receive SP Luis Castillo
Seattle Mariners receive C Sean Murphy, SP Owen Murphy
In this mock trade, the Braves acquire All-Star starter Luis Castillo. In exchange, the Mariners receive former All-Star catcher Sean Murphy and a young pitching prospect in Owen Murphy.
Fantasy Baseball Outlook
Luis Castillo would slot into the Atlanta Braves’ starting rotation behind Chris Sale and Spencer Strider. He has been very effective for the Mariners since they acquired him from the Reds at the trade deadline four seasons ago. In 2025, Castillo went 11–8 in 32 games with a 3.54 ERA, 1.18 WHIP, and 162 strikeouts. His fantasy value would likely dip if he left Seattle’s pitcher-friendly ballpark. Still, he has proven himself as a reliable, effective starter through consistent performance, and he would play a key role for Atlanta.
With the Mariners, Sean Murphy would serve as the backup catcher behind Cal Raleigh. He would likely see a drop in playing time in Seattle, but this move could also give the Mariners more opportunities to use Raleigh at DH. With the fifth spot open in the Seattle rotation, Emerson Hancock and Cooper Criswell would be viable, experienced options. Alternatively, Kade Anderson and Ryan Sloan are elite prospects who have had strong Spring Trainings and could break camp on Opening Day. The young pitching prospect Owen Murphy would also join a talented farm system and provide a future option for the rotation.
Read More Fantasy News
Seattle, WA
VIDEO: Scream Club Seattle keeps growing, midway through first year
(Story originally posted 8:22 pm, updated 12:32 am)
By Torin Record-Sand
Reporting for West Seattle Blog
From a distance, they looked like a regular crowd of people enjoying a nice evening walk on the shores of Lincoln Park. But they were gathered here for a singular purpose: to scream. Since September 2025, the Scream Club Seattle has met at Lincoln Park on every third Sunday to scream, led by head organizer Amber Walcker. No explanation, justification, or invitation to scream is needed – come as you are. “There are some harder emotions people come here to deal with, sure, but some people also just come to scream.” head organizer Amber explained.
Tonight’s crowd showed the club is rapidly growing. From around a dozen or so participants in the first gathering in September, tonight seemed to attract around 40 people gathering to let it all out.
As the sun started to set, and everyone was finally gathered together, the Scream Club was ready to begin.
There are only three screams, organizer Amber explained. The first, she said, is a scream to get used to doing it in public. The second scream is there to ground you. And the final – and longest scream – is there to let you have an emotional catharsis.
She also wanted to make sure people were taking care of their vocal health beforehand. As she told everyone to walk a little bit from the meeting place and start to gather near the shore, she instructed the crowd to hum for a few minutes on the way, to warm up the vocal cords.
With that, the crowd walked towards the shore.
“On the count of one – two – three – scream!” said organizer Amber.
You can see our video of the proceedings here. After the screaming, we talked to a few participants about why they came out.
“There’s not one thing that’s really making me want to scream. There’s a lot of stuff going on for me, a lot of emotional ups and downs. Screaming into the ocean together gives you a sense of community.” said Jessie.
“This is my third or fourth time coming to scream. With the political climate, with everything that’s happening, getting together with local community to scream feels more productive than screaming into the internet on social media.” said Ursula.
“This is my first time coming out.” said Liz. “I screamed after the Seahawks won the Super Bowl, and I really felt something. I realized I’ve been feeling a lot of frustration recently, and it felt like coming here was a healthy way to get it out rather than screaming at your neighbors.”
Organizer Amber recognizes much of what they were saying. “Meeting like this can be an important element to have in your mental health toolbox. It’s rare to have scream therapy.” She shared an anecdote about the therapeutic origins of the group, which originally started with a chapter in Chicago. “The founder was a life coach. Their girlfriend was having a bad day, and they encouraged them to go to the Chicago Pier and just let it out. He walked her through the process, and that was that. Eventually they invited more people to come do it.” She hopes to bring that same therapeutic energy to the practice here. “It’s a moment of emotional release more than anything else. Depending on what’s going on in people’s minds, everyone will come here with a different mindset and purpose. We’re providing a safe space to do that.”
Scream Club Seattle meets at Lincoln Park on the first Sunday of every month, and they are also starting to meet on the third Sunday of every month at Golden Gardens in Ballard. Tentatively, the next events will be in Lincoln Park on April 5th around 6 PM, and Golden Gardens on March 15th around 5 PM. If you’d like to know more, you can find them on Instagram here or look at their future events on their Eventbrite page here.
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