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Massachusetts formally certifies nation's first union of Uber and Lyft drivers. Now what?
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We're kicking off the short week with Tony Rose Day in the city of Boston. Rose is considered an architect of the city’s ‘70s and ‘80s music scene, which sprouted groups like New Edition and New Kids on the Block. WBUR’s Amanda Beland has more here on Rose’s legacy and how the city is honoring him today.
Now, to the news:
A new kind of ADU: Massachusetts is now home to the nation's first recognized union of Uber and Lyft drivers. The state's Department of Labor Relations officially certified the new "App Driver's Union" on Friday, both the union and Gov. Maura Healey's office announced yesterday. It comes after an 18-month process following a successful 2024 ballot question that gave ride-hailing drivers the right to collectively bargain. The union will now represent about 70,000 drivers. Healey's office calls it the "largest private sector bargaining victory since the 1940s," and she plans to celebrate with the union on the steps of the State House this morning.
- Now what? The next step is negotiating an actual contract. Mike Vartabedian, union's principal officer, told WBUR's Dan Guzman they plan to survey drivers — who currently get a minimum wage and some benefits via a 2024 settlement — to understand what they want in a contract. Then they have to set up negotiation dates with Uber and Lyft. "The biggest stumbling block, if there is a stumbling block, is getting these companies to the table and now pressuring them to do some of the demands that we're going to put on them," Vartabedian said.
- What are the companies saying? In statements, both Uber and Lyft said they plan to negotiate in good faith and listen to their drivers. "Together, we will ensure that driver flexibility and hard-won benefits remain the foundation of our progress, while upholding the highest standards of safety, data security, transparency and public accountability," an Uber spokesperson told Dan.
Fourth time's the charm: Lunar New Year will be a school holiday in Quincy. The city's School Committee approved the new holiday in an unanimous vote last week, after previous efforts came up short three times in the last three years.
- The backstory: State data shows that nearly 40% of students in Quincy Public School identify as Asian American. And schools in the city annually see high absenteeism — sometimes above 50% in some schools — on Lunar New Year. During last week's meeting, School Committee Member Tim Leung called Lunar New Year "arguably the most important holiday" for many Asian cultures.
- What changed: In previous years, the majority of committee members has argued the district should stick to state and federal holidays, since students already get an excused absence for Lunar New Year. However, advocates argued it was a matter of recognition for the local Asian-American community. And last fall, supporters of the change gained two additional seats on the School Committee during an election that saw many local incumbents fall.
- What's next: Quincy now joins the school districts in Brookline and Lexington (as well as the entire state of New York) in giving students off for the holiday, which typically lands between late January and mid-February.
In memoriam: The funeral for a Boston firefighter who died in the line of duty over the weekend will take place next Monday, June 1. Robert Kilduff Jr., a 53-year-old Marine veteran and longtime member of the Boston Fire Department, died on Saturday night when he fell from a third-floor window while fighting a fire in a triple-decker in Dorchester. He is the first Boston firefighter to die in the line of duty since 2014.
- Following a wake Sunday in West Roxbury, Kilduff's funeral will be at 10 a.m. at the Cathedral of the Holy Cross in Boston. Healey has ordered flags on state buildings to fly at half staff until sunset on the day of the funeral.
P.S.— Tonight is the last time Bostonians can testify publicly on Mayor Michelle Wu's budget proposal. The City Council will hold their last public hearing of the budget review process tonight at 6 p.m. (Boston residents can testify live or over Zoom.) The $4.9 billion plan is Wu’s tightest budget since she became mayor in 2021. Catch up on what the Council has been debating here.
