Collective Bargaining

California's Uber and Lyft Union May Just Be the Beginning

Industry-wide bargaining could erode the very flexibility that gig workers most desire.

C. Jarrett Dieterle | 10.31.2026 6:00 AM

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(California Gig Workers Union/Instagram)

In September, California became the second state in America to certify a statewide rideshare workers union. Under a recently passed law, this new union—the California Gig Workers Union—will negotiate directly with Uber and Lyft on behalf of all rideshare drivers in the state. The ultimate agreement will set industry-wide standards for rideshare in the Golden State.

California is one of a handful of deep-blue states that have passed what are known as sectoral bargaining laws for the gig economy. In 2024, Massachusetts became the first state to pass a sectoral bargaining law for rideshare drivers. California passed its version in 2025, followed by Illinois joining the parade in 2026. Rather than requiring unions to negotiate with individual companies, these laws allow sector-wide negotiations, which could lead to one-size-fits-all outcomes that limit flexibility for both companies and workers.

Most concerning of all, this sectoral approach is unlikely to stop with the gig economy. Progressive labor lawyers and policy wonks are now pushing for sectoral bargaining to........

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