Washington
N.J. legislators should do what Washington state just did for rideshare drivers | Opinion
By Shaun Clemons
The previous month has been unbelievable for working individuals. Simply this week, Starbucks employees in Boston voted to unionize two shops. This follows one other victory simply throughout the Hudson, the place Amazon warehouse employees in Staten Island just lately unionized after years of intense confrontation with the corporate.
As a driver with Lyft, one win that occurred on the opposite aspect of the nation nonetheless hits near house. There in Washington state, rideshare drivers labored with Uber and Lyft, the native Teamsters union and democratically elected officers to move a first-of-its-kind legislation offering them larger advantages and protections with out jeopardizing their independence.
For years, there was lots of debate about how finest to guard rideshare drivers. Labor legal guidelines solely permit drivers to be categorized as an worker or unbiased contractors. The overwhelming majority of us, together with myself, don’t need to be workers as a result of then we must reply extra to the businesses — being placed on set shifts, getting paid a flat hourly wage and having limits on once we might drive. As an unbiased contractor, I’m in command of my schedule, however the firms can also’t supply me sure advantages and protections with out operating the chance of getting to make me an worker.
As a single father of two ladies, I first turned to rideshare as a approach to earn with out sacrificing being the guardian my kids wanted. I determine when and the place I work and don’t must reply to a boss. Earlier than working with Lyft, I used to be a retailer supervisor at a number of nationwide brand-name firms. I labored lengthy hours and weekends. I missed numerous holidays and household gatherings. Work continuously took me away from my household.
I don’t need to return to having another person telling me what to do, and neither do the 58% of New Jersey drivers on Lyft who say they’d cease driving in the event that they misplaced their independence.
Fairly than the ugly battle we’ve seen between Starbuck and Amazon and their employees, the drivers in Washington determined to take a unique strategy and labored collaboratively so everyone might win. Now they’re lined by the best statewide minimal wage for rideshare drivers within the nation. They will additionally entry advantages like paid sick days and are lined below new protections that guard in opposition to unfair deactivations. However most significantly, they’re able to maintain their flexibility as unbiased contractors.
I’ve been advocating for the same strategy right here in New Jersey and the momentum’s constructing. In truth, 92% of New Jersey drivers help a coverage by which they’d stay unbiased contractors, keep the present flexibility they take pleasure in and be given some, however not all, of the advantages that workers obtain.
However we are able to’t do that alone. Like in Washington, we want our state leaders to work with us and assist move a New Jersey-specific resolution that would offer us with independence and advantages.
Up to now, merely making extra individuals workers was usually the suitable approach to higher shield them. However the nature of labor is altering and individuals are demanding extra flexibility than our present system permits. Washington confirmed us one other approach, one the place everyone can stroll away higher off. Let’s use that instance as a information to do one thing huge right here in New Jersey. As we’ve seen this month, momentum for employees is constructing. Let’s seize this second and assist rideshare drivers throughout the state.
Shaun Clemons has been a Lyft driver since 2018. He lives in Mt. Laurel.
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