Substitute bill increases pay, adds rest breaks and consumer transparency and accountability
SEATTLE – Councilmember Teresa Mosqueda (Position 8, Citywide) and her Council Colleagues who sit on the Finance and Housing Committee passed a substitute version of Mayor Durkan’s “Fare Share” legislation, increasing the minimum compensation, adding rest breaks and allotted cleaning time for drivers, and increasing consumer transparency.
Mayor Durkan transmitted the “Fare Share” legislation for transportation network companies in August, which would increase pay for Uber and Lyft drivers, cover expenses such as gas, and add other labor protections.
Mosqueda, Chair of the Finance and Housing Committee, introduced a substitute piece of legislation establishing a “minimum trip amount” of $5, and requiring the Transportation Network Companies (TNCs) to cover reasonable expenses such as rest breaks and 30 minutes per day to clean the vehicles, as well as mandating consumer-side transparency on trip payment. The legislation was co-sponsored by Council President M. Lorena González and Councilmembers Lisa Herbold, Andrew J. Lewis and Dan Strauss.
“App-based drivers are essential workers, putting themselves on the frontlines during this pandemic by providing essential transportation services. At the bare minimum, they deserve a base wage that is comparable to the city’s minimum wage, so they can provide for their families by putting food on the table and a roof over their heads,” Mosqueda said. “Although these app-based drivers are part of the gig economy, our city’s strong labor standards, which are a reflection of our values and the principle that we respect all workers, must also apply to non-traditional workers in the growing gig economy. This means rest breaks, and stable pay, and payment for cleaning time.”
The amended Fare Share legislation, as proposed by Mosqueda’s substitute, includes:
- Establishes a “minimum per trip amount” that requires TNCs to pay drivers at least $5 for each TNC dispatched trip.
- Includes cleaning time and rest breaks.
- Adds transparency requirements for both drivers and passengers.
- Assigns the Office of Labor Standards to coordinate potential studies on the impacts of the legislation on TNCs and drivers.
“Today’s vote improves the Fare Share Plan with transparency and living wage protections that benefit both riders and drivers,” said Peter Kuel, an Uber and Lyft driver since 2013 and President of Drivers Union. “We are now one step closer to achieving victory on fair pay after a long multi-year campaign led by a diverse group of drivers – largely Black and brown immigrants and refugees from around the world.”
The amendment Fare Share legislation will now go before the Full City Council on Tuesday, Sept. 29 at 2 p.m.
About Councilmember Teresa Mosqueda: Teresa fights every day to build an economy that works for all of us, make sure we can afford to live in the city where we work, and protect the rights of every member of our City. She has dedicated her life to amplifying the voices of our working families. Teresa brings a decade of experience working with labor unions and working families to City Council and most recently served as the Political and Strategic Campaign Director of the Washington State Labor Council, AFL-CIO. Teresa is a third-generation Mexican-American, the daughter of educators and social justice advocates. She lives with her husband and their daughter in West Seattle.