STATEMENT: Historic Massachusetts Rideshare Union Certification Signals New Era for Gig Workers

Washington, D.C. — David Madland, senior adviser to the American Worker Project at the Center for American Progress, issued the following statement after the Massachusetts Department of Labor Relations certified the App Drivers Union as the bargaining representative for rideshare drivers in the state:

This is one of the biggest labor organizing victories in decades and a major turning point for the gig economy. Approximately 70,000 rideshare drivers in Massachusetts now have a path to collectively bargain for better pay, safer working conditions, and greater protections in an industry that has long resisted accountability. The certification of the App Drivers Union shows that workers can still build collective power at scale, even in industries built around apps, algorithms, and independent contractors. Massachusetts’ sectoral bargaining model could become a blueprint for improving job quality in sectors where traditional organizing has struggled to keep up. Technology and artificial intelligence (AI) are rapidly reshaping work, but this effort shows that workers do not have to face those changes alone.

Related resource: “Fast Facts About Massachusetts Rideshare Sectoral Bargaining” by David Madland

For more information or to speak with an expert, contact Christian Unkenholz at [email protected].