November 2, 202021PHOTOGRAPH
BY
JOHN
FRANCIS
PETERS
FOR
BLOOMBERG
BUSINESSWEEK
THEBOTTOMLINE CaliforniavotersonNov.3 willdecidewhat
benefitsandpayguaranteesapp-baseddriversshouldget,which
couldhaveramificationsforthewidergigeconomy.◀ Dunbar, who drives
for Lyft, supports
Prop 22flexibility I need in my life,” an Instacart Inc.
worker wrote in a marketing email to custom-
ers. A group of “no” proponents in late October
dropped banners over four busy freeway over-
passes in Sacramento, the state capital.
In Los Angeles, a group of clergy rallied at
City Hall to support the proposition on Oct. 22.
Reverend K.W. Tulloss, one of the participants,
says the measure will help protect drivers, espe-
cially minorities and poor people who may rely
on gig work. He acknowledges that the same ratio-
nale could be used to argue against Prop 22 and
for increased benefits, but he stands by his posi-
tion: “If drivers want to remain independent, why
can’t we hear their voices?” Tulloss says he drove
for Uber for three months a couple of years ago
when he was between jobs: “I knew what I was
signing up for. Why would you kill an industry
that employs so many individuals? Especially now,
when people are being laid off from their jobs.”
Gig economy workers are split on whether
they’re satisfied with the flexibility—largely based on
whether the work is their primary source of income,
says Boston College’s Schor. She found that occa-
sional workers tend to earn more per hour and get
benefits from another job or a spouse. Those who
were working full time and dependent on gig income
felt more trapped. Over the past few years, the lat-
ter group has become a bigger slice of the workforce,
she says. As the pandemic has crushed jobs in retail,
restaurants, and other service industries, even more
people are turning to gig work. But the crisis has also
shone a bright light on the precarious nature of a job
that has few guarantees, like paid sick days.Prop 22 was born out of a California bill known
as AB5 that was passed into law last year and took
effect in January, which sets higher standards for
workers to be classified as independent contrac-
tors. The proposition, if passed, would become
nearly untouchable. State lawmakers could make
tweaks to it, but any attempt to overturn or drasti-
cally change it would have to be approved by vot-
ersinanotherelection.
Iftheballotmeasurefails,Uber,Lyft,and
othersaren’tlikelytogiveup.“Theycouldjust
keeptryingtowriteanotherbillthatwouldcarve
themoutofthelaw,”saysVeenaDubal,a law
professoratUCHastings.Thecompanieshave
alreadybeenshapinghowworkersandvoters
viewlaborforceregulations,Dubalsays.“Theidea
thatflexibilityis tiedtoindependentcontractors’
statusis culturalworkthecompanieshavedone,”
shesays.
VivianMarleneDunbar,a 72-year-oldretiree,
is a LyftdriverinSanYsidro,Calif.Shesaysshe’s
“totallydependent”onhergigworktocoverrent
andmakeendsmeet.Eventhen,she’snotinter-
estedinbenefitsthatmighthelpeaseherfinancial
worries.She’ssupportingProp22.Jobflexibilityis
“invaluable”toher,shesays.“IfI wanttogoout
thereandgetaregular wage job with wonderful ben-
efits, I would be at Costco or Sam’s Club, like other
seniors,” she says. “But this is our choice. If I want
to go sit under the apple tree and wait for a ride, I
can do that.” �Ellen Huet, with Jacqueline Davalos● Share of U.S. adults
who participate in the
gig economy, according
to the Federal Reserve:31%