The Government of British Columbia announced new employment standards on June 12 aimed at providing basic protections for gig workers. The regulations include a wage floor and access to workers’ compensation, a move that is being hailed by Canada’s largest private-sector union.
“B.C. is leading the way to enshrine the basic rights of gig workers,” said Lana Payne, Unifor National President. “Today’s proposals will take gig workers one step closer to economic fairness.”
The new regulations primarily apply to drivers working for app-based dispatch services like DoorDash and Uber. They set minimum hourly wages, offer stronger protections for tips, guarantee some compensation for vehicle expenses, and enhance transparency in work assignments, according to a press release issued by Unifor. Additionally, eligible gig workers will now be covered by WorkSafeBC for job-related injuries.
“We welcome the new regulations. Gig workers are some of the most exploited and underrepresented workers in B.C.’s entire economy,” said Gavin McGarrigle, Unifor Western Regional Director. “A union for gig workers is a true path to better working conditions, but they deserve unique legal tools to form their own unions.”
One significant challenge gig workers face when attempting to unionize is the lack of transparency about the total local workforce of gig companies, Unifor said. In B.C., a union vote is triggered after 45% of a certifiable unit signs a union card. However, without accurate knowledge of this threshold, organizing efforts often fail or stall.
Unifor has been lobbying for a requirement that employers provide a payroll list once 20% of workers sign union cards, it said.
Unifor represents 320,000 workers across various industries.