Worcester drivers, including Dignemar Figueroa, a mother of two and student at Quinsigamond Community College, gathered at City Hall on Tuesday to support a proposed ballot question that would classify app-based drivers as independent contractors while also providing them with new benefits such as paid time off and healthcare stipends.
As an independent contractor, Figueroa says she can balance her work, studies, and family commitments more effectively. “I have a lot to do. I’m the SGA president, I have to take care of my girls, and I have to make money, so I go from one company to another. As a full-time employee, you can’t do that, and you can only work for one company,” Figueroa said.
The proposed ballot question seeks to strike a balance between providing drivers with more benefits and preserving their flexibility. In addition to paid time off and healthcare stipends, drivers would be guaranteed $18 per hour from the moment they accept a ride or delivery request until they complete the task.
The question is supported by ride-sharing companies Uber and Lyft and is one of two possible measures that Massachusetts residents may vote on in the November 2024 general election. The other measure, backed by labor unions, seeks to allow ride-share drivers to form a union.
The push for independent contractor status comes amidst an ongoing lawsuit filed by former Attorney General Maura Healey in 2020, who accused ride-sharing companies of denying drivers benefits by classifying them as independent contractors rather than employees. Current Attorney General Andrea Campbell has indicated that she will seek damages and reimbursements and expand the benefits of drivers in the state if the Supreme Judicial Court rules in favor of the lawsuit.
Despite these efforts, many drivers prioritize the flexibility and control over their schedules that comes with being an independent contractor. Lisa McRobbie, who has multiple clients in several states, values the flexibility that allows her to accommodate the needs of her elderly mother and ten grandchildren.
“This gives me the flexibility I need to make my own schedule. It’s important for our drivers to be flexible just as it is for our customers to be flexible. I deliver to a lot of people who are elderly and disabled, and they are grateful for our service,” McRobbie said.
Worcester restaurant owners, such as John Piccolo of Piccolo’s on Shrewsbury Street, also support the initiative, as it allows them flexibility in assigning deliveries.
“These people are indispensable. We need them, and we need to support them. That’s all I have to say,” Piccolo said.
Flexibility and Benefits for Massachusetts Drivers will need to convince voters to approve the measure in November, and a rally in support of the question was also held in Springfield on March 18.
One undecided voter, Pete Wise, was persuaded to support the measure after hearing the drivers’ testimonies.
“I’m a driver too. I work four gigs, and I need that flexibility. I can’t do a full-time job; I need to earn money on my own time,” Wise said.
