The U.S. Chamber of Commerce announced that it filed a lawsuit challenging the Seattle ordinance that allows for-hire drivers to organize as a union. The Chamber’s announcement states:
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington to challenge a Seattle ordinance that authorizes union organizing of for-hire drivers working as independent contractors, highlighting that the ordinance will burden innovation, increase prices, and reduce quality and services for consumers.
The Chamber’s complaint notes that in addition to being in violation of federal law, implementation of the ordinance would result in a balkanized set of labor schemes that would negatively impact the sharing economy and jeopardize the flexible work schedules and earnings opportunities that economy provides to millions of people nationwide.
“Technology continues to transform the way we do business. Seattle, as a hub for innovation, has been at the forefront of that change and has benefited from the job creation, economic growth, and increased tax revenue the technology sector spurs,” said Amanda Eversole, president of the Chamber’s Center for Advanced Technology & Innovation. “This ordinance threatens the ability not just of Seattle, but of every community across the country, to grow with and benefit from our evolving economy. Technology companies are leading the charge when it comes to empowering people with the flexibility and choice that comes with being your own boss, and that is something to be championed, not stifled.”
Read the full story at Chamber of Commerce, et al. v. City of Seattle, et al.
