Uber drivers in Victoria, B.C., have just joined a union, and are now set to become the first group in Canada to negotiate a collective agreement for rideshare drivers, according to the United Food and Commercial Workers Union (UFCW).
On Wednesday, UFCW Canada said in a statement that the B.C. Labour Relations Board officially certified the drivers’ union under Local 1518.
The drivers, it said, are focused on securing workplace protections such as improved health and safety measures, greater transparency in ratings, and “fair processes for account deactivations.”
“This is a defining moment for the labour movement in Canada,” Shawn Haggerty, UFCW Canada national president, said in the statement.
“The certification of Uber drivers in Victoria shows that workers in every sector — even in the platform economy — can organize and win. 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.”
UFCW Canada says it has been assisting drivers nation-wide with advocacy and support since 2022, 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 divers 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 gig workers by making them employees of operators of online platforms.
In the 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.
This is a developing story.
