Under the city’s proposal, only drivers who completed 52 or more rides during a three-month window in the year preceding January 17, 2017 can vote in the election, which is expected to be held from April through July. These 52 rides must have started or ended within Seattle’s city limits. Additionally, votes from drivers who started working after October 19, 2016 will be excluded. Even though these rules will disenfranchise thousands of drivers, all drivers will be forced to join a union and follow the collectively bargained agreement if the vote is successful.
Under union representation, new workers are often the first to be fired, even when they perform better than those who have more experience. Would a union defend bad drivers who had their accounts deactivated because of negative reviews? Post-ride, dual-feedback systems are major factors behind ridesharing’s increased levels of customer service and trust. If partnerships with unqualified drivers cannot be terminated, riders will be less safe.