The Brief
SACRAMENTO - California Governor Gavin Newsom has signed a bill granting more than 800,000 rideshare drivers the right to unionize and collectively bargain for wages and benefits.
The new legislation is the result of a compromise between labor unions and tech companies, and it also includes a measure to reduce the companies’ insurance requirements.
What we know:
The new law is the culmination of a years-long battle over drivers' rights.
While a 2019 law had initially mandated that Uber and Lyft provide drivers with benefits, that measure was reversed by voters in 2020.
Last year, the California supreme court ruled that app-based rideshare and delivery services could continue to classify their drivers as independent contractors, who are not entitled to benefits like