Passed California Ballot Measure Allows Uber, Lyft To Categorize Workers As Car Parts

SAN FRANCISCO—In what amounts to an unequivocal victory for the multibillion-dollar rideshare corporations, California ballot measure 22 officially passed Tuesday, allowing Uber and Lyft to categorize their workers as car parts. “We’re absolutely thrilled with this outcome that lets us legally recognize drivers as a crucial aspect of an automobile’s operation,” said Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi, confirming that the new legislation would give workers the same basic rights and protections as any other vehicle components such as the muffler or brake pad. “This brings us one step closer to a brighter future where workers will have the freedom to spend a few hours filling in as part of a car’s steering system before going to a second gig working as a shopping basket for Instacart and a third gig as a forklift for Amazon.” Khosrowshahi added that while the ballot measure did not provide substantive healthcare benefits, it would require drivers to be swapped out every 5,000 miles.