California regulators have certified a union for Uber and Lyft drivers, opening formal collective bargaining on pay and conditions.
Los Angeles Times reports the California Public Employment Relations Board recognised the California Gig Workers Union after it secured support from 30% of active state drivers in August — the third US state to allow rideshare unionisation after Washington (2022) and Massachusetts (2024). AB 1340 gave the right to organise; SEIU backed the drive. Drivers want health cover, fuel support and pay transparency amid robotaxi competition. California has about 350,000 ride-hail drivers; Uber and Lyft say they will bargain in good faith. Prop 22 still classifies drivers as contractors.