23 Sep Vote NO On Proposition 22

The measure is a poor fix for the problems faced by independent contractors across California.

Proposition 22, which would classify drivers for apps such as Uber and Lyft as independent contractors but guarantee them certain benefits, is an ink-blot test.

If you think these companies are predators that exploit workers and compete unfairly, you’ll see the measure as yet another effort by the tech industry to circumvent the rules by which responsible corporate citizens play. If you think the apps provide workers an easy means to make extra money and consumers an affordable alternative to taxis, you’ll see Proposition 22 as a way to hold onto a service you value.

In reality, the measure is a fix designed by Uber and its counterparts for a problem the California Supreme Court created with its Dynamex decision in 2018, which made it harder for employers to classify workers as independent contractors. The Legislature, which is dominated by labor-friendly Democrats who see the gig economy as exploitative, embraced the Dynamex decision as a way to force changes in Uber and Lyft’s business model and promote unionized work.

But the ruling affects a broad array of industries, and the Legislature has failed to come up with a response that meets the needs of the state’s 21st century workforce. Unfortunately, Proposition 22 doesn’t provide a good answer either, offering a solution that’s too narrow and rigid.

Read more about Prop 22, click here