Today at 1PM in Los Angeles: Gig drivers from 15 countries to convene in Los Angeles at first International Congress of Gig Workers and to rally at California Supreme Court offices
LOS ANGELES – Rideshare drivers, SEIU and SEIU California petitioned the California Supreme Court to review a California Court of Appeal ruling on the constitutionality of Prop 22. Later today, California Uber, Lyft and Doordash drivers, supported by gig drivers from 15 countries, will rally in front of the Los Angeles California Supreme Court to support the petition and ask the Supreme Court to take the case and strike down Prop 22.
Plaintiffs in Castellanos v California are challenging the constitutionality of Prop 22, which excludes rideshare drivers from the state’s workers’ compensation system and strips the legislature of any power to include rideshare drivers in the state’s compensation system in the future. The suit alleges that, because Prop 22 was a statutory initiative, it cannot repeal the state legislature’s constitutional authority over workers’ compensation.
“There can be no doubt about it: Prop 22 is an unconstitutional threat to the basic rights of gig workers across California. In a direct attack on our democratic institutions, Uber, Lyft and Doordash have used Prop 22 to carve out gig workers from our state’s workers compensation system and deprive those same workers of paid sick leave, meaningful health care coverage, overtime pay and more,” said David Huerta, President of SEIU California and SEIU United Service Workers West. “SEIU California is hopeful that the California Supreme Court will overturn Prop 22 in its entirety and make clear that no corporation, no matter how rich, can buy its way out of our democracy.”
“Since Prop 22 passed, working for gig companies like Uber, Lyft, and Doordash has only gotten worse. When I got hurt while working for Uber and was unable to work for nearly a year, I had no way to provide for my family and no access to workers’ compensation,” said Hector Castellanos, an Uber driver and plaintiff in the legal challenge to Prop 22. “But Prop 22 isn’t just hurting drivers like me who are struggling to make ends meet. Prop 22 discards our constitution and takes away the power of our elected lawmakers to pass laws that protect workers and hands it over to gig corporations that put profits above everything else.”
The petition to the California Supreme Court was filed as gig drivers and delivery workers from 15 countries convene in Los Angeles for the first International Gig Workers Congress. The International Gig Workers Congress brings together gig worker advocacy organizations and unions from around the world to address gig corporations’ continued denial of basic rights and protections to gig drivers and delivery workers. Gig workers from across the world will stand in solidarity with California gig drivers in a rally in front of the offices of the California Supreme Court today, the Argentina Consulate on Tuesday, and Uber global headquarters in San Francisco on Thursday, April 27th.
EVENT DETAILS
LOS ANGELES – Rally at Ronald Reagan State Building
WHO: Hector Castellanos, plaintiff in lawsuit challenging Prop 22, gig drivers and delivery workers from 15 countries
WHEN: Monday, April 24, 2023 at 1:00 pm
WHERE: Ronald Reagan State Building, 300 S Spring Street, Los Angeles
LOS ANGELES – Rally at Argentina Consulate
WHO: Gig drivers and delivery workers from 15 countries, community allies
WHEN: Tuesday, April 25, 2023 at 12:15 pm
WHERE: 5055 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90036
SAN FRANCISCO – Rally Uber Global Headquarters
WHO: Gig drivers and delivery workers from 15 countries, labor leaders, community allies
WHEN: Thursday, April 27 at 1:15 pm
WHERE: Uber Global Headquarters, 1515, 3rd Street, San Francisco
A Growing Global Movement for Gig Workers’ Rights
Whether they’re based in Asia, South America, Europe or North America, gig drivers and delivery workers are facing the same challenges: low and decreasing pay despite long working hours, high costs of working for gig corporations, job insecurity, unfair deactivations, and gig corporations’ denial of gig workers’ right to unionize.
The shared challenges confronting gig workers have ignited a global movement for gig workers’ rights led by gig drivers and delivery workers. From gig worker-led demonstrations in London to rideshare drivers challenging Prop 22 in California courts, gig drivers and delivery workers are organizing for better working conditions at unprecedented rates.
Recent victories demonstrate the growing momentum of gig workers’ organizing efforts, and policymakers’ and courts’ increasing recognition that gig workers are entitled to the same rights and protections afforded to other workers.
- After millions of gig drivers and delivery workers held demonstrations across the country, India passed a law granting social security benefits to gig workers.
- In 2020, the Spanish Supreme Court ruled gig delivery workers were entitled to the labor rights and protections afforded to other workers
- More recently, the European Union Parliament voted to strengthen the rights of workers against arbitrary deactivation and ensure they receive the same labor and social protections as other workers in EU nations
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Contact: Erica Noll, erica.noll@berlinrosen.com, 424-237-6790
Cecille Isidro, cisidro@seiucal.org, 415-606-4841
Maria Elena Jaregui, mariaelenajauregui@gmail.com, 818-355-5291 (Spanish language)
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