Massachusetts certifies first rideshare drivers' union in United States

Tim Dunn, Boston Herald on May 26, 2026

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BOSTON — Massachusetts has officially certified the nation’s first-ever rideshare drivers’ union, with Gov. Maura Healey, local and national labor leaders, along with dozens of drivers, celebrating at the State House steps Tuesday morning.

The App Driver’s Union, backed by two large and powerful unions in 32BJ Service Employees International Union (SEIU) and the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, was officially certified by the Massachusetts Department of Labor Relations on Friday. The union also won the right to negotiate driver contracts with rideshare giants Uber and Lyft.

“You know, there’s a reason that national labor leaders are here today. There’s a reasons why legislators are here today. It’s because you guys made history. You drivers made history. What you did is not unbelievable. It is believable and it shows what’s possible when people actually come together, work together and get it done,” Healey said Tuesday during the celebration outside the State House.

“It’s also an important message to the rest of the country. I’m proud of Massachusetts. You guys claimed your right, you claimed your union, and now you’re the first in the United States to be a unionized rideshare. This changes the game for rideshare workers across this country and it changes the game for working people,” she said.

The certification of ADU comes after Massachusetts voters in the 2024 election approved a ballot measure allowing rideshare drivers to form unions with just under 54% of the vote.

“For too long, the gig economy was built on a fools’ bargain: the companies got rich and workers scraped by. The rules were rigged,” said SEIU President April Verrett. “But Massachusetts rideshare drivers flipped the script. They had the audacity and imagination to unrig those rules and win their union. In a moment when working people need hope, these drivers are a shining light. They are steering the future of the labor movement and taking their destiny into their hands.”

The announcement of upcoming negotiations with Uber and Lyft comes as the Department of Public Utilities (DPU) considers newly proposed regulatory changes for Transportation Network Companies (TNC’s), which includes mandating electrification of vehicles, enhancing driver background checks and oversight, work hours, passenger safety increases, and reshaping the appeals process for drivers who have been deactivated, among others.

The ADU sent a letter to the DPU on May 16 requesting the department withdraw the proposed regulations and postpone any rulemaking on new regulations until after Labor Secretary Lauren Jones issues a final determination approving negotiations between the union and the rideshare companies. The union also raised concerns about some of the proposed changes, including enhanced driver background checks, work hours and more that it says will have a “distorting impact” on the collective bargaining process.

“We recognize and respect DPU’s responsibility to regulate the rideshare industry, ensure public safety, and to balance the interests of drivers, passengers, and the companies. As the anticipated representative of all 100,000+ TNDs in the Commonwealth, we look forward to working collaboratively with DPU to craft an updated set of regulations for the rideshare industry that ensures greater fairness for drivers, many of whom have invested thousands of dollars into their vehicles and rely on driving for their livelihoods,” the union said in the May 16 letter to DPU.

The Herald has asked the governor’s office if negotiations between the new union and the rideshare companies can commence as DPU considers the regulations.

In a statement to the Herald, Uber highlighted its $175 million legal settlement in 2024 with Attorney General Andrea Campbell’s office as an example of “what we can achieve when we listen to our drivers.” That agreement mandated a guaranteed minimum driver pay of $32.50 per hour, paid sick leave, healthcare and other benefits.

“Our 2024 agreement with the Attorney General demonstrated what we can achieve when we listen to drivers, who overwhelmingly supported that milestone. As we enter this next phase, we will work closely with the ADU, our broader driver community, and the Department of Labor Relations,” an Uber spokesperson said. “Together, we will ensure that driver flexibility and hard-won benefits remain the foundation of our progress, while upholding the highest standards of safety, data security, transparency, and public accountability.”

A representative from Lyft could not be reached for comment.

The ADU certification marks the largest private sector bargaining win since 1941 and is now first union of gig workers in the country.

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