A ballot measure passed in Massachusetts last November gives rideshare drivers the right to unionize. At first glance, this sounds good. After all, “supporting workers” is a message that resonates with many of us, but the reality is worrisome for rideshare drivers who value flexibility and independence.
I worked for a Trader Joe’s store when some employees were trying to unionize, so I know this firsthand. In 2022, my co-workers began the process of unionizing. I never signed a card, never joined, and never wanted a union to represent me. I wasn’t against unions. I just wasn’t sure about joining this one—the organizers didn’t seem to know what they were doing.
When the union was certified, my wages, benefits, and working conditions were negotiated behind closed doors. The majority of my co-workers had no vote in union leadership or strategy. And, had I stayed long enough, I would have been forced to pay dues to an organization I never chose to join since, according to the National Right to Work Legal Defense Fund, Massachusetts is not a “right to work” state and Trader Joe’s, my employer, is a private company.
That’s why I’m warning Massachusetts voters and rideshare drivers that the ballot measure, “Unionization and Collective Bargaining for Transportation Network Drivers Initiative,” often referred to as “Question 3,” passed fall 2024, is a trap.
The measure was sold as giving drivers “the ability to organize.” But voters weren’t told that the new law establishes a first-in-the-nation sectoral bargaining system for rideshare drivers. This means that if a small fraction of drivers agree to unionize, every rideshare driver at every company in the state will be forced into the union’s rules and dues.
The numbers needed to unionize the rideshare drivers are shockingly low. According to Axios, just 5% of all drivers need to sign on, and then 25% of so-called “active drivers” must support forming a bargaining unit, i.e., a group of employees who negotiate with management. After that threshold is met, the state recognizes a union that will represent all drivers—whether they supported it or not. In other words, if you’re an independent rideshare driver in Massachusetts, you don’t get a choice. The union chooses for you. Moreover, if 5% of workers want to form a union, every rideshare company must provide every driver’s contact information to union officials.
Nationwide, the threshold for forming a bargaining unit is a majority vote. Massachusetts is now proposing to impose compulsory unionization with far less support—and with sectoral bargaining that extends far beyond one workplace and into the cars of rideshare drivers across the Bay State.
As WBZ News in Boston reports, “[last year’s] “yes” vote would require the state of Massachusetts to set up a new set of regulations for them and the rideshare industry so the drivers can negotiate together for better pay and benefits.” Better pay and benefits may sound good at first, but more regulations mean fewer freedoms for drivers to manage their workday and enjoy flexible employment. Flexibility makes rideshare driving appealing, especially for part-time workers, students, and immigrants—anyone juggling multiple jobs and family responsibilities. A union contract takes away the freedom to choose when and how long to work.
When I worked at Trader Joe’s, my colleagues and I didn’t need a union to have a good workplace; we already had one. The union campaign didn’t improve things; it divided us. I eventually moved to Michigan because my partner had a great job opportunity, and today I’m happily employed at a non-union Trader Joe’s. My experience proves the point: a great workplace doesn’t require government-imposed unionization.
Massachusetts voters, including and especially rideshare drivers, should think about what “Question 3” really means. It’s not about giving drivers the “right to organize.” It’s about voters forcing unwilling workers into an arrangement they never asked for.
I saw firsthand at Trader Joe’s what happens when a union inserts itself where it isn’t wanted. If Massachusetts wants to help rideshare drivers, it should protect their flexibility, not undermine it by forcing independent rideshare drivers into a union they never voted for.
The post Massachusetts Voters Support Unions for Uber Drivers was first published by the Foundation for Economic Education, and is republished here with permission. Please support their efforts.
