A group of Uber drivers has become the first in Canada to join a union — but it’s unlikely gig workers in Ontario will follow suit, advocates say.
On Wednesday, the United Food and Commercial Workers Union (UFCW) Canada said in a statement that the British Columbia Labour Relations Board officially certified the drivers’ union under Local 1518 in Victoria.
The drivers, it said, are now set to negotiate a first-of-its-kind collective agreement, focusing on securing workplace protections, such as improved health and safety measures, greater transparency in ratings and “fair processes for account deactivations.”
Shawn Haggerty, UFCW Canada national president, called the Victoria drivers’ successful unionization a win for the labour movement in Canada following several failed attempts by gig workers to organize.
“These drivers are setting a national precedent, and UFCW Canada is committed to supporting them every step of the way as they work toward a strong, fair first agreement,” said Haggerty in the statement.
In 2022, Uber fought off a unionization effort from Uber Black service drivers in Toronto by reaching a settlement with UFCW. The union said it has been assisting drivers nationwide with advocacy and support since that year, filing more than 4,000 disputes on their behalf.
Laura Miller, director of public policy at Uber Canada, said in an email that the company will be sitting down with UFCW 1518 to discuss the issues raised by drivers.
Her email also stated that there will be no change in the experiences of drivers and riders with the app. Drivers “can continue to drive with Uber when, where and how often they want.”
“Ninety-four per cent of drivers say that driving with Uber provides them with the scheduling flexibility they cannot get from a traditional job,” Miller wrote. “With the recent modernization of B.C. labour laws, which now protect that flexibility, drivers as online platform workers can determine whether they want union representation.”
Bill 48 in B.C. now offers greater protections for “online platform workers” by considering them employees of online platform operators, regardless of whether they are employees or independent contractors under any law.
In that province, if 55 per cent or more employees in a workplace sign union membership cards, a union is automatically certified and no further vote is required.
It’s unlikely, however, that rideshare drivers in Ontario will follow those in B.C. in joining a union, said Thorben Wieditz, a member of Ridefair Toronto, a not-for-profit advocacy organization focused on the regulation of rideshare companies.
“It’s important to acknowledge that the B.C. government has empowered drivers’ freedom of choice by clearly recognizing them as employees and reinstating card-based certification,” said Wieditz.
“Replicating this victory in Ontario under Ford’s new gig-worker laws might prove more challenging, unless Ford follows B.C.‘s lead in classifying app-based workers as employees under the Employment Standards Act and implementing card check certification for this industry.”
Earla Phillips, an Uber driver who is also the vice-president of the Rideshare Drivers Association of Ontario, said she hopes Wednesday’s news will “inject some excitement into the driver community” by showing that “coming together and winning a union certification is possible.”
“Being able to sit at the table and…come to some sort of an agreement where drivers actually can maintain the fleet safely and be able to feed their families at the same time is really important,” she said. “We have never had that opportunity.”
