From today’s Politico:
The state’s top court blocked a ballot question to continue classifying Uber and Lyft drivers as independent contractors, ending what was shaping up to be a fraught and expensive ballot battle.
But the fight over gig-workers’ rights continues.
Flexibility & Benefits for Massachusetts Drivers is refocusing on the Legislature. The tech-industry-backed coalition is warning legislators that the “future of [ride-hailing and delivery] services and the drivers who earn on them is now in jeopardy” if they don’t act on legislation to keep drivers as independent contractors. But key lawmakers have rebuffed that argument before.
State Rep. Carlos González, a Springfield Democrat who cosponsored H.1234, told Playbook that he’s presented “both sides with potential ideas in hopes of a compromise.” But he told the Boston Globe that it would be “very challenging” to reach an agreement before the session ends on July 31.
If lawmakers don’t act, expect both sides of the gig-worker fight to file legislation next session in anticipation of a ballot battle redux in 2024. Wes McEnany, campaign director for opposition coalition Massachusetts Is Not For Sale, told Playbook “our plan is to keep this coalition together and move aggressive legislation in 2023 that is going to regulate these companies.”
Read the complete story here.