{"id":1916675,"date":"2023-04-19T11:27:33","date_gmt":"2023-04-19T15:27:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/as-prop-22-prevails-gig-workers-escape-big-labors-boot-for-now\/"},"modified":"2023-04-19T11:33:04","modified_gmt":"2023-04-19T15:33:04","slug":"as-prop-22-prevails-gig-workers-escape-big-labors-boot-for-now","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/as-prop-22-prevails-gig-workers-escape-big-labors-boot-for-now\/","title":{"rendered":"As Prop 22 Prevails, Gig Workers Escape Big Labor\u2019s Boot \u2014 For Now"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">26<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fas-prop-22-prevails-gig-workers-escape-big-labors-boot-for-now%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=1916675&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><div class=\"article-content\">\n<p>On March 13, a California appeals court <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wsj.com\/articles\/uber-lyft-score-victory-as-california-court-affirms-right-to-treat-drivers-as-contractors-642bdd67\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">moved<\/a> to uphold the 2020 ballot measure Proposition 22 \u2014 the gig economy\u2019s response to a state bill that would have doomed freelancing in the Golden State. The new ruling overturns a lower court decision that had nullified Prop 22, meaning that worker independence lives on in California \u2014 for now, at least. But Big Labor won\u2019t give up so easily: Service Employees International Union (SEIU) intends to appeal Prop 22\u2019s new reprieve, indicating a long legal slog still awaits the gig economy.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Given its support at the polls and popularity among gig drivers themselves, Prop 22\u2019s legal victory should be cause for celebration. But for mega-unions like SEIU, which co-sponsored both the campaign against Prop 22 and the subsequent battle to overturn it in the courts, Prop 22\u2019s success threatens the status quo. <\/p>\n<div class=\"fdrlst__b89e9-paragraph-2-long d-flex justify-content-center\" style=\"margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center; \" id=\"fdrlst__b89e9-1345077739\">\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-1379703300879-0\" class=\"mb-30\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div  class=\"fdrlst__b89e9-001626198e10017bb4c60c5eaf48dddf fdrlst__b89e9-paragraph-2\" id=\"fdrlst__b89e9-001626198e10017bb4c60c5eaf48dddf\"><\/div>\n<p>Big Labor makes big bucks by convincing workers, politicians, and the public that the worker serves the corporation as a replaceable cog in a machine. With the reality and draw of independent work, businesses and unions must reimagine their workplace structure and governance to adapt to the ever-increasing independence and value of the individual worker. And that\u2019s a problem for unions: By changing the public\u2019s conception of what work can be and what workers can do, the gig economy and the independent worker are disrupting the \u201cbig business\u201d model keeping Big Labor afloat.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The Law to Limit Gig Workers<\/h2>\n<p>Prop 22, passed by popular vote in November 2020, was a direct response to California\u2019s Assembly Bill 5 (A.B. 5), passed in the legislature earlier that year. A.B. 5 had classified gig drivers as \u201cemployees,\u201d imposing harsh new strictures on both drivers and their platforms of choice. These limitations impeded drivers\u2019 freedom to set their own schedules, log in at will, and enjoy other privileges reserved for the self-employed. <\/p>\n<p>The bill\u2019s anticipated costs to drivers, companies, and consumers was predicted by some analysts to <a href=\"https:\/\/pmcinsurance.com\/blog\/how-assembly-bill-5-differs-from-proposition-22\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">bankrupt<\/a> Uber, Lyft, and DoorDash and stymie the evolution of independent work altogether.\u00a0Indeed, that threat looked so probable that both Uber and Lyft seriously considered vacating the California market in response to A.B. 5\u2019s passage.<\/p>\n<p>Prop 22 was designed to provide an exit ramp for gig drivers and startups trying to avoid A.B. 5\u2019s roadblocks. And when put to the public, the measure enjoyed bipartisan approval, garnering the support of 58.6 percent of voters and <a href=\"https:\/\/comotionnews.com\/2021\/05\/24\/4-out-of-5-app-based-drivers-in-california-are-happy-prop-22-passed\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">47 percent<\/a> of registered Democrats. It also found favor among gig drivers themselves, who backed the measure by <a href=\"https:\/\/therideshareguy.com\/california-proposition-22-2020\/#:~:text=about%20Prop%2022%3F-,60%25%20of%20California%20Drivers%20Are%20'For'%20Proposition%2022,against%20and%207%25%20are%20undecided.\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">60-70 percent<\/a>, according to data from the Rideshare guy, and by <a href=\"https:\/\/cadriversurvey-jge.nationbuilder.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">72 percent<\/a>, according to research conducted by Edelman Intelligence.\u00a0<\/p>\n<div  class=\"fdrlst__b89e9-7e8a54cb83a788a573a86781bb759fd0 fdrlst__b89e9-paragraph-6\" id=\"fdrlst__b89e9-7e8a54cb83a788a573a86781bb759fd0\"><\/div>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Labor Union Opposition<\/h2>\n<p>But California SEIU president David Huerta dismissed Prop 22\u2019s democratic popularity as irrelevant, arguing that voters only favored the measure because ride and delivery app companies tricked them. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cEvery California voter should be concerned about corporations\u2019 growing influence in our democracy and their ability to spend millions of dollars to deceive voters and buy themselves laws,\u201d Huerta said in a statement following the March 13 ruling. That\u2019s pretty rich coming from a union that\u2019s been caught <a href=\"https:\/\/www.freedomfoundation.com\/labor\/seiu-members-rightly-angered-to-learn-their-dues-money-spent-on-politics\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">funneling<\/a> its own members\u2019 dues toward political donations.\u00a0<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Gig Drivers Support Prop 22<\/h2>\n<p>Regardless, no political machinations can deny Prop 22\u2019s increasing support among gig drivers themselves.\u00a0Along with the data showing gig drivers\u2019 support for Prop 22 in the months preceding its passage, the research firm <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bsgco.com\/post\/california-drivers-reaction-to-prop-22\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Benenson Strategy<\/a> conducted an extensive survey three months following its implementation. (While Uber commissioned Benenson to conduct their survey, Benenson collected all data and performed and reported all research independently.) <\/p>\n<p>The results were impressive: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.uber.com\/newsroom\/prop-22-survey-results\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">82 percent<\/a> of ride and delivery app drivers were happy that Prop 22 had passed, and 92 percent had experienced positive effects from the measure\u2019s ability to help them skirt A.B. 5\u2019s limitations. For drivers, these included set schedules and limited hours; for startups, they meant mandatory minimum earnings and paid time off.<\/p>\n<div  class=\"fdrlst__b89e9-1e9d74ea509892821f3d4c8328a4903c fdrlst__b89e9-paragraph-10\" id=\"fdrlst__b89e9-1e9d74ea509892821f3d4c8328a4903c\"><\/div>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Outlook<\/h2>\n<p>It\u2019s likely that SEIU\u2019s plan to appeal the ruling on Prop 22 won\u2019t be the last skirmish in the ongoing battle for worker independence. Delivery startups and the be-your-own-bosses of the ride-hailing world can anticipate further challenges from the union bosses threatened by the independent worker, and Prop 22 stands as a key litmus test in that fight.<\/p>\n<p>If granted, the SEIU\u2019s petition for appeal will kick the case up to the California Supreme Court. The court will then have the final say in gig drivers\u2019 and companies\u2019 status \u2014 and potentially survival \u2014 in the Golden State. Whatever the ruling, that decision would send shockwaves throughout the gig economy and establish a major legal precedent for the future of independent work nationwide.<\/p>\n<div  class=\"fdrlst__b89e9-55b01088711a9a6132f39d2056090b31 fdrlst__b89e9-after-post-content\" id=\"fdrlst__b89e9-55b01088711a9a6132f39d2056090b31\"><\/div>\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator\">\n<div class=\"article-author-description fst-italic\">   Amanda Griffiths is a contributor for Young Voices, recent California transplant, and current Ph..D. student in political science at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She has previously been featured in National Review Online, Reason, and \u201cIndisputable\u201d on The Young Turks Network.<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-tags bdr-top-black mt-30 mt-sm-60 pt-15 pt-md-45\">\n<ul class=\"list-unstyled d-flex flex-wrap align-items-center mb-0 mx-n10 p-0\">\n<li class=\"mt-10 mx-10\"><a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/tag\/a-b-5\/\" class=\"btn btn-black btn-small\">A.B. 5<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"mt-10 mx-10\"><a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/tag\/big-labor\/\" class=\"btn btn-black btn-small\">Big Labor<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"mt-10 mx-10\"><a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/tag\/california\/\" class=\"btn btn-black btn-small\">California<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"mt-10 mx-10\"><a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/tag\/doordash\/\" class=\"btn btn-black btn-small\">Doordash<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"mt-10 mx-10\"><a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/tag\/gig-workers\/\" class=\"btn btn-black btn-small\">gig workers<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"mt-10 mx-10\"><a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/tag\/independent-contractors\/\" class=\"btn btn-black btn-small\">independent contractors<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"mt-10 mx-10\"><a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/tag\/labor-unions\/\" class=\"btn btn-black btn-small\">labor unions<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"mt-10 mx-10\"><a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/tag\/lyft\/\" class=\"btn btn-black btn-small\">Lyft<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"mt-10 mx-10\"><a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/tag\/proposition-22\/\" class=\"btn btn-black btn-small\">Proposition 22<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"mt-10 mx-10\"><a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/tag\/seiu\/\" class=\"btn btn-black btn-small\">SEIU<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"mt-10 mx-10\"><a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/tag\/uber\/\" class=\"btn btn-black btn-small\">Uber<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>On March 13, a California appeals court moved to uphold the 2020 ballot measure Proposition 22 \u2014 the gig economy\u2019s response to a state bill that would have doomed freelancing in the Golden State. The new ruling overturns a lower court decision that had nullified Prop 22, meaning that worker independence lives on in California<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1957,"featured_media":1916676,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[546],"tags":[15499,4161,13497,20631,5105,12114,3618,5015],"class_list":["post-1916675","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-federalist","tag-boot","tag-escape","tag-gig","tag-labors","tag-prevails","tag-prop","tag-riot","tag-workers"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1916675","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1957"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1916675"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1916675\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1916676"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1916675"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1916675"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1916675"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}