BURSTUber drivers across the B.C. Interior have joined UFCW 1518, a private union that serves over 28,000 workers across the province, including the Okanagan, Cariboo and Kootenay regions.
According to UFCW Canada, drivers in these regions will now be covered by the landmark agreement first negotiated by Uber drivers in Victoria, which expands its protections and benefits to hundreds of drivers in B.C.
“The agreement reached by Uber drivers in Victoria made history. Now we’re seeing that history continue to grow,” said UFCW 1518 president Patrick Johnson. “Drivers in Interior B.C. saw what was possible when workers came together, and they decided to organize for those same protections, representation, and improvements.”
The collective agreement, which UFCW Canada said is the first of its kind for rideshare drivers, includes a health spending fund, quarterly bonuses, annual increases to waiting fees, cancellation fees, out-of-region fees, formal dispute resolution mechanisms, and in-person union representation.
In a press release, UFCW Canada said this expansion signals that the agreement is becoming a model for app-based workers seeking fairness, stability, and a stronger voice.
Johnson said even though technology is changing how people work, it doesn’t change the fundamental principle that workers deserve a voice in the conditions of their work.
“British Columbia continues to demonstrate what is possible when app-based workers organize and bargain collectively, and today is proof of that happening with more drivers directly seeing the benefits of that solidarity,” said Johnson.
Kelowna-based Uber driver Shane Sievers appreciates the support under the new agreement.
“A union gives us a meaningful voice on the issues that affect our livelihoods, including transparency, fairness, safety and account-related concerns. With proper representation, drivers don’t have to face these issues alone,” explained Sievers.
Uber will be hosting a press conference at the Prestige Hotel in downtown Kelowna on Wednesday, Sept. 2 starting at 4:30 p.m.