NYTWA Statement on Lyft NYC Driver Pay Ruling
NYTWA Statement on Lyft Lawsuit Ruling
"To Lyft and Uber we say: time and again we keep beating you. And we're just getting started."
(New York, NY) Today, a New York State Supreme Court Judge dismissed Lyft's attempt to block the minimum pay rate for app drivers in New York City.
As the court cited, NYTWA members provided key documentary evidence that the initial TLC rule underestimated driver expenses, even while Lyft tried to argue the rule overstated expenses incurred by drivers.
Lyft tried to argue that a mere $2,000 in incentives to its entire driver workforce in 2017 was somehow justification for not paying drivers a minimum pay rate.
NYTWA members' organizing showed the TLC that drivers need a floor, not a ceiling!
Read the Judge’s decision here.
NYTWA Executive Director Bhairavi Desai (she/her) released the following statement:
"This ruling is a testament to the power of driver unity. For the first time ever, app drivers and taxi drivers united through our union to win the historic minimum pay rule and vehicle cap in New York City. But both Lyft and Uber continue to put their craze for money before the humanity of hardworking drivers.
"Lyft sued to block the pay rule, and Uber sued to block the vehicle cap. Meanwhile, nine professional drivers have committed suicide in New York City because of the race to the bottom these greedy companies have created, leaving workers in a state of economic despair.
"Both companies have said in public filings that denying workers basic employee rights like a guaranteed minimum wage is essential to their business models.
"The minimum pay rule was just the first step to stop these companies from cutting driver pay again. Now, we are uniting to win one minimum rate of fare across all sectors with at least 80 percent of that fare guaranteed to App drivers so a minimum wage floor doesn't become the ceiling, and for job security against Uber and Lyft's rampant deactivations, Silicon Valley-speak for unjust firings.
"To Lyft and Uber we say: time and again we keep beating you. And we're just getting started."