Reuters
Group backed by Uber, Lyft pushes Massachusetts gig worker ballot measure
A coalition of app-based companies, including Uber Technologies Inc, Lyft Inc and DoorDash Inc, on Wednesday took the first step to put a measure before Massachusetts voters that would define their drivers as independent contractors entitled to minimum benefits but avoid having them declared their employees. If placed on the ballot next year, the proposal could make Massachusetts the epicenter for an expensive fight over the legal rights of gig workers, after a heated battle in California ended last year with voters cementing their contractor status. The proposal is part of the gig industry’s efforts to change labor law and enshrine their workers’ status as independent contractors across the United States, with the potential for regulation by the Biden administration looming.