New York City Councilmember Shekar Krishnan and New York Taxi Workers Alliance led by Bhairavi Desai, celebrated the recent passing of bill Intro 276 on Thursday, December 18, ending the threat of “deactivations” or firings for almost 100,000 app-based drivers in NYC.
Intro 276 is the largest and most comprehensive reform of unfair firings for app-based drivers in the country, setting a nationwide precedent for driver protections, a press release from NYTWA said.
Uber and Lyft drivers can be deactivated for any reason or no reason at all, with no warning and no recourse, notes NYTWA.
The bill passed 40 in the affirmative, 7 in the negative and 1 abstention.
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Prior to its passing, Council Member Krishnan, joined by the New York Taxi Workers Alliance, Korean American Family Service Center, and Council Members Hanif, Marte, and Epstein, and hundreds of Uber, Lyft, and Yellow Cab drivers drove down Broadway and honked in solidarity. The rally spotlighted drivers who have been deactivated and its impact.
“Together, we are standing united with workers and passing my legislation that will start a nationwide movement to give app-based drivers the power they deserve,” said Krishnan.
“Intro 276 sets the strongest standard for just cause protections for Uber and Lyft drivers in the country,” said Bhairavi Desai, Executive Director of the New York Taxi Workers Alliance. “The passage of this historic bill means that drivers, who go into debt just to work, will no longer have to worry about going to sleep after a grueling day on the road only to wake and find they have been unfairly deactivated, left with no income overnight at the click of a button.”