NYC ride-share drivers push back against proposed City Council bill
Link to Article: https://bronx.news12.com/nyc-ride-share-drivers-push-back-against-proposed-city-council-bill
A proposed City Council bill is stirring up controversy among ride-share drivers in New York City.
Drivers argue that the bill may eliminate a union-backed process that helps them fight unfair deactivations, replacing it with a city-run program they believe won’t provide the same protections.
Ride-share drivers gathered outside City Hall, voicing their opposition to the bill, known as Int. 276.
“Union busting is disgusting,” the crowd chanted.
These drivers, who rely on apps such as Uber and Lyft to make a living, say the current system run by the Independent Drivers Guild has been instrumental in helping them get back to work after being deactivated from the platforms. IDG said it has assisted thousands of drivers in appealing their deactivations.
“I was deactivated because they said I accepted cash, which wasn’t true,” said Devin Bell, a ride-share driver.
Bell credits IDG with helping him get his job back.
“A rep was able to see through those holes, get me a hearing with someone at Uber, and the hearing helped out,” he said.
Since 2016, IDG has run a process that allows drivers to challenge deactivations. However, drivers fear that Int. 276 would replace this union-backed system with a city-managed program that offers fewer protections.
“Once it gets taken out of the hands of IDG, it goes to the city, and it becomes a city agency. That’s something we don’t want, because IDG actually has the experience and relationships that have been helping these drivers for years,” Bell explained.
Opponents of the bill argue that it undermines the hard-fought gains drivers have made over the years, leaving them more vulnerable to decisions made by app companies.
News 12 reached out to one of the bill’s sponsors, City Council Member Christopher Marte, for a response but did not hear back by the time of publication.
