Seattle Unveils Plan To Get Uber and Lyft Drivers Better Pay

SEATTLE — The Mayor's Office has unveiled a new plan which, they say, will help gig workers driving for companies like Uber and Lyft receive more equitable pay for their time spent on the job.

"We know there's a long way to go to ensure that drivers are given all the protections they deserve, but this is the first step," said Mayor Jenny Durkan at a news conference unveiling the proposal.

Under that proposal, rideshare companies would need to pay their workers a minimum wage of at leas $16.39 an hour, plus driving expenses like gas and car upkeep.

According to the mayor, that guarantee would increase pay for 84 percent of drivers working in Seattle, and increase their average earnings by 30 percent. The proposal builds up the Fare Share legislation passed in Seattle in November 2019.

At the conference announcing the proposal, Durkan was joined by two rideshare drivers who detailed their experiences working long hours driving in Seattle, and barely getting by on meager pay.

"When our car broke, or we had to change the tire, we had to work more hours," said driver Fana Abreha.

Supporters of the proposal say that rideshare companies often require drivers to pay their own upkeep on their vehicles, which take a serious toll on their income. The new proposal would require companies like Uber and Lyft to pay repair expenses and other costs like car tabs and insurance.

The Mayor's Office says the proposal was crafted with input from 11,000 drivers working in western Washington. The mayor also noted that the overwhelming majority of rideshare drivers are from low income households, communities of color, or immigrant and refugee communities, and that this proposal was in part an attempt to make Seattle more equitable to minority communities as it tries rebuild its economy after the pandemic.

The proposal will be passed to Seattle City Council for their consideration sometime in the next few weeks.