RALEIGH, N.C., May 29, 2026 — The 600,000-member IAM Union (International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers) is urging members of the North Carolina House of Representatives to vote against S.B. 1082, legislation that would amend the North Carolina Constitution to permanently enshrine the state’s so-called “right-to-work” law.

In a letter sent to North Carolina lawmakers, IAM Union International President Brian Bryant warned the proposal is an unnecessary political attack on workers’ rights that would further weaken workers’ ability to organize and collectively bargain for fair wages, benefits, and safe working conditions.

“North Carolina already has had ‘right-to-work’ provisions in state law since 1947, and this political attack on the constitution is shameful and unnecessary,” wrote IAM Union International President Brian Bryant in a letter to North Carolina lawmakers. “This attempt to enshrine anti-union verbiage in the state constitution is also a waste of taxpayer dollars, and pushes North Carolina in the wrong direction. The ‘right-to-work’ state laws weaken workers’ ability to unionize and collectively bargain for fair wages, benefits, and safe working conditions. Rather than improving workers’ lives amid growing costs of living, these anti-labor laws harm lower and middle-class workers as they are associated with lower wages than in states without them.”

The IAM Union represents thousands of workers across North Carolina, including workers at Spirit AeroSystems in Kinston and air transport workers at Charlotte Douglas International Airport and Raleigh-Durham International Airport.

Research continues to show that so-called “right-to-work” laws lower wages and weaken workplace protections for working people. According to the Economic Policy Institute, workers in states with “right-to-work” laws earn lower wages on average, are less likely to have employer-sponsored health insurance and pensions, and face higher workplace fatality rates than workers in states without those laws.

The bill recently passed the North Carolina Senate and could be considered by the North Carolina House as early as next week.

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IAM Local 701 in Chicago recently celebrated a new graduating class of students who completed its renowned automotive and diesel training programs, better known as the IAM Mechanics’ Local 701 Training Fund. The ceremony, which took place in early May, was attended by families, IAM leadership and instructors. Almost 30 former students are now certified and more prepared for lucrative careers in the automotive and trucking Industry, including 22-year-old Lydia Flores of Sleepy Hollow, IL. She developed a passion for automobiles as a child, grew up fixing cars and attended auto shows with her mother.

“I started doing my own maintenance on my cars and helped my family members in the garage late at night,” said Flores. “After I got my first car, I knew I was born to be in the car industry. I took a few auto classes in high school and started getting more comfortable with the tools and more intrigued with the customization of my own cars.”

Flores was fortunate enough to get hired by a local automobile dealership while she was taking courses in the Local 701 Training Program, an accomplishment that blends her love of cars with a lucrative trade, which also comes with an IAM contract.

“I got employed at Patrick Cadillac. Being employed at my dream job at 18-years-old opened my eyes to so many opportunities,” said Flores. “Little did I know being a union mechanic created a phenomenal salary for me.”

Chris Brzuskiewicz is a 21-year-old recent program graduate from Chicago. Like Flores, he’s been passionate about cars since childhood. It’s a hobby he shared with his father growing up, and he’s turned that devotion into a working way of life.

“Being part of the graduating class made me feel proud to take a lifelong passion and make it into a successful, rewarding career,” said Brzuskiewicz. “I’m honored to follow family footsteps and to see my hard work reflected.”

Brzuskiewicz is now employed at an Allison transmission dealership in the Chicagoland area. He works on medium to heavy duty vehicles, performing everything from diagnostics to transmission overhauls.

“It feels gratifying to be in a field that will provide me a dependable income, transferable skills, and daily satisfaction from fixing real-world machines for decades to come,” said Brzuskiewicz.

The educational program, which was conceived in the 1990s by current IAM Midwest Territory General Vice President Sam Cicinelli, opened in 2010. Since then, the program, which is now based in a 30,000 square foot training facility in the suburb of Aurora, has been graduating high-skilled technicians at an impressive rate. Tuition is also drastically cheaper than education at community colleges or four-year universities.

“We have tremendous pride and a passion for the next generation of high-skilled workers,” said Cicinelli. “This program is providing a pathway for young workers and our graduates by giving them a good education and a stable way of life under the hood, a rare opportunity in this changing economy.”

The program is intense and inclusive with hands-on training and guidance overseen by seasoned instructors with decades of experience.

“The IAM Mechanics’ Local 701 Training Fund currently has two main programs available; a 22-month diesel power and equipment program, and a 27-month automotive technology program,” said Jerry Eckert, Program Training Director. “These programs deliver a level of training that is tailored to meet the needs of technicians at various levels as they progress through the program and simultaneously gain experience in the field.”

Local 701’s success is occurring at a crucial time in the IAM. The union recently announced plans to increase training programs and apprenticeships for a new generation of eager workers around the country. Anyone interested in learning more about the Mechanics’ Local 701 Training Fund should email jeckert@local701training.org.

“We’ve developed a unique educational avenue that’s giving this young generation a path to goods jobs and a solid future,” said IAM Local 701 District Business Representative Mark Grasseschi. “Four-year college isn’t a path for everyone, but we’re proud to provide an accredited alternative that fosters lucrative careers in automotive, trucking and other various mechanics’ industries.”

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IAM District W24 members have overwhelmingly ratified a new four-year labor agreement with Weyerhaeuser, securing major economic gains for 1,160 union members across Washington and Oregon while marking a historic milestone for the bargaining unit.

The agreement represents the first time contracts between the union and the company have been negotiated, presented to members, and ratified before the expiration of the previous agreement, which was set to expire on June 1, 2026.

The settlement covers 14 individual contracts involving members from IAM Locals W130, W246, W261, and W536 working across sawmills, trucking operations, export yards and logging camps throughout the Pacific Northwest.

Union leaders credited member solidarity, strategic bargaining pressure, and lessons learned from a historic strike four years ago for helping secure the agreement. That strike — the first work stoppage for these locals in more than three decades — established leverage that carried into the current negotiations.

“This agreement shows what can happen when members stay united and engaged throughout the bargaining process,” said Brandon Bryant, District W24 President and Directing Business Representative, following ratification.

The contract includes an 11% total wage increase over the life of the agreement, along with a $3,000 signing bonus for members upon ratification. The deal also locks in healthcare costs with only minimal increases while strengthening pension and retirement benefits.

Additional improvements include increased flexibility in vacation scheduling and expanded bereavement leave language that now covers sons-in-law and daughters-in-law, while allowing members more time to utilize leave benefits.

“Weyerhaeuser IAM members wanted key family and financial issues addressed in the contract,” said IAM Union International President Brian Bryant. “With a clear voice they achieved those goals with help from District W24, the Western Territory and the International. We’re proud of our entire Weyerhaeuser membership at District W24.

Negotiators also reached agreements on attendance policies, overtime regulations, and shift differential issues as part of the final package.

“Strength and power were with this negotiating committee during the whole process,” said IAM Western Territory General Vice President Robert “Bobby” Martinez. “The Committee told the company they needed to listen to the membership, and the ratified contract speaks clearly that those issues were heard.”

The bargaining process unfolded against the backdrop of improving lumber market conditions after several difficult years in the industry. IAM Union negotiators said a recent market rebound, combined with a credible strike threat from the membership, helped push the company toward an agreement months ahead of the contract deadline.

A key component of the successful ratification effort was the union’s use of modern communication tools to keep members informed throughout negotiations. District W24 utilized a dedicated negotiations website, email and text blast updates, and the W24 Website to provide near real-time bargaining updates to the membership.

“The negotiations were tough but the committee did a great job at the table,” said IAM Wood Pulp and Paper Director Bob Walls. “The company knew it had to move on several issues in order to come to an agreement.”The negotiations team planned for a communication strategy that ensured members had the information needed to make informed decisions at the ballot box while maintaining solidarity throughout the process.

IAM District W24 negotiating committee describes the agreement as a major step forward for members and emphasized that the contract reflects the essential role union workers play in Weyerhaeuser’s operations.

“This contract is an important victory,” said Brandon Bryant, “but it is also part of the ongoing effort to continue building worker power and improving the lives of IAM members throughout the industry.”

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IAM Union members joined by Congressman Kweisi Mfume (MD-07), Baltimore Metro AFL-CIO President Courtney Jenkins, Maryland State and DC AFL-CIO Federation Secretary-Treasurer Samuel Epps, and Baltimore County NAACP President Roland Patterson rally against outrageous decision from Apple to close its Maryland store, the first unionized Apple retail location in the United States

TOWSON, Md. — Chants erupted today at Patriot Plaza in Towson, Maryland, where protesters accused the Fortune 500 tech giant of discriminatory treatment toward its employees. 

Apple Store employees, Members of Congress, labor leaders, civil rights leaders, and local elected officials are outraged by Apple’s decision to close its Towson store – the first unionized Apple retail location in the United States – rather than guarantee pay equity and safe working conditions for its nearly 100 area employees, who are now facing job loss. 

“My oldest daughter starts college in the fall. My youngest daughter turns 3 this year. And my newborn son is sleeping at home right now while I’m trying to figure out what comes next. My coworkers are in similar positions, carrying families, mortgages, medical bills, and the quiet fear of watching a stable job disappear,” said Eric Brown, a Sales Lead at the Apple Store at Towson Town Center and a member of IAM Local 4538. “We’re not asking for charity. We’re asking Apple to do right by us and offer us the same transfer opportunities it extended to workers at its other closing stores.”

See the rally photos here

The IAM Union, which represents the Towson Apple Store workers, has filed an Unfair Labor Practice (ULP) charge with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), citing discriminatory treatment against unionized Apple workers at the Towson store. Unlike workers at two other closing stores, Apple will not allow its unionized Towson employees to transfer to other stores. 

“Apple wants every worker watching right now to know what happens when you organize. They want to send a message. That is not a business decision. That is retaliation. Plain and simple,” said IAM International President Brian Bryant. “We are going to fight this in every arena we have. We will not stop. We will not be quiet. We will not back down, not until our members get the fair treatment, the straight answers, and the respect they have earned. The respect that every working person in this country deserves.”

The Towson Apple store is also the only Apple Store in the entire Baltimore area that can be reached by bus. Students from Towson, Goucher, Stevenson, CCBC, Loyola, John Hopkins, University of Baltimore, Morgan State University, and Coppin State University all frequent the location, along with working people without cars across the city.

The Maryland congressional delegation, led by U.S. Rep Johnny Olszewski and joined by U.S. Sens. Chris Van Hollen and Angela Alsobrooks, as well as U.S. Reps. Steny Hoyer, Jamie Raskin, Glenn Ivey, Kweisi Mfume, Sarah Elfreth, and April McClain Delaney wrote a letter to Apple demanding accountability following Apple’s decision to close its unionized retail store at Towson Town Center in Towson, Md., effective June 20, 2026. 

Read the Maryland congressional delegation’s letter to Apple here.

“We know what it looks like when a corporation tries to make an example out of workers who dared to ask for a seat at the table. We have seen that playbook. We have faced it down before. And we have beaten it before,” said IAM Eastern Territory General Vice President David Sullivan. “Apple is not the first powerful employer to try to break the spirit of organized workers. They will not be the last. But they will hear from us. They will hear from us today. They will hear from us at the National Labor Relations Board. And they will keep hearing from us every single day until justice is done for the workers of this store.”

On the ground, IAM Local 4538 members including Apple Store workers at the Towson Center were joined by IAM International President Brian Bryant, IAM Eastern Territory General Vice President David Sullivan, IAM District 4 Representative Bonna McCarthy, Congressman Kweisi Mfume (MD-07), Maryland State and DC AFL-CIO Secretary-Treasurer Samuel Epps, Baltimore Metro AFL-CIO President Courtney Jenkins, and Baltimore County NAACP President Roland Patterson.

“We have been working on this for a while now, and we will not stop,” said Congressman Kweisi Mfume (MD-07). “This is a fight for workers’ rights. Collective bargaining has to be respected. Labor laws have to be respected. The right for individual men and women to speak and to organize themselves must be respected.” 

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IAM Union political activists from across North America gathered this week at the William W. Winpisinger Education and Technology Center for the IAM Political Education Seminar, a weeklong training focused on strengthening political action, legislative advocacy, member mobilization and worker power.

Throughout the week, participants received hands-on training on lobbying elected officials, organizing political campaigns, using data and research in advocacy efforts, rapid response communications, digital activism, and preparing union members to run for public office.

The seminar also emphasized the connection between organizing and political engagement, equipping activists with tools to better advocate for working families and pro-worker legislation at the local, state, and federal levels.

Facilitators and speakers included staff from IAM Political and Legislative, Organizing, Communications, Rapid Response and Mobilization, Strategic Resources, and allied organizations like the AFL-CIO and Alliance for Retired Americans. 

The seminar concluded with participants receiving certificates of completion after a week dedicated to strengthening the IAM’s political and legislative activism nationwide.

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IAM Union International President Brian Bryant has appointed Osmel “Oz” Toledo as Education Representative at the William W. Winpisinger Education and Technology Center, effective June 8, 2026.

Toledo has been an active IAM member since 2007, beginning his union journey with IAM Local 1000 in Bloomington, Ill. His career in public service started in the government sector with the City of Bloomington before transitioning into a full-time union leadership role.

In October 2018, Toledo joined IAM District 8 as an Organizer and later served as Business Representative and Assistant Directing Business Representative. In 2025, he was appointed to IAM Local 701, continuing his work representing and advocating for IAM members across multiple industries.

Throughout his union career, Toledo has held numerous leadership positions, including President and Vice President of Local 1000. He also served as Recording Secretary and Vice President of the Bloomington-Normal Trades and Labor Assembly and remains an active delegate. In addition, Toledo serves on the IAM Spanish Leadership Working Group and is a member of LCLAA Chicago Metro.

Toledo has extensive experience negotiating contracts in government, municipal, industrial, machine shop, and automotive sectors while leading successful organizing campaigns across the region.

A dedicated labor educator, Toledo has also completed a wide range of courses at the Winpisinger Center, including Foundational Skills, Collective Bargaining, Arbitration, Advanced Arbitration, Negotiation Preparation, Negotiating Healthcare, Organizing, Service Contract Act, EAP/CIRT Training, Adult Mental Health First Aid USA, Political Training, and Spanish Leadership programs.

Fluent in Spanish, Toledo brings valuable multilingual communication skills and a strong commitment to leadership development and member education to his new role at the Winpisinger Center.

“Oz has dedicated his career to empowering workers, building solidarity, and developing strong union leaders,” said IAM Union International President Brian Bryant. “His experience in organizing, bargaining, and member education makes him a tremendous asset to the Winpisinger Center.”

In his position as Education Representative, Toledo will help train and empower IAM members across North America through labor education, leadership development, and strategic organizing programs.

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The IAM is pleased to announce the 2026 Scholarship winners. An impartial committee of educators selected 16 recipients for this year’s awards. We congratulate the winners and thank all those who participated in the competition.

Jacob Heim, Local 1903Michelle Sullivan, Member, Local 2198Hannah Hensley, Local 696Amelie, Local 1125Nadia Bollinger, Local 751Ellie Johnson, Local 1969, Roman Mayfield WinnerNohealani Garcia Nunez, Local 776Aubrie Lucka, Local 701Andrea Schneier, Local 837AElena Styrczula, Local 126Bishop Parker, Local 1751Boren Zou, Local 764Sharon Vong, Member, Local 1295Djamila Chabane, Local 1751Nicholas Fusco, Local 264Lilyana Thornton, Local 2671Honorable Mentions

Jacob Heim
College: North Carolina State University
Major: Mechanical Engineering
Parent: Mark Heim
Local: 1903   Company: American Airlines
Territory: Air Transport

Michelle Sullivan, Member
Local: 2198
Company: United Airlines
College: Universal Technical Institute – Houston
Major: Aviation Mechanics
Territory: Air Transport

Hannah Hensley
College: Eastern Mennonite University
Major: Education
Parent: James Hensley
Local: 696 Company: CSX
Territory: Rail Division

 

Amelie Carmona
College: University of California Berkley
Major: Civil Engineerin
Parent: Geovanni Carmona
Local: 1125 Company: LB&B Associates NAS North Island
Territory: Western

Nadia Bollinger
College: Scripps College
Major: Film & Media Studies
Parent: Derek Bollinger
Local: 751 Company: Boeing
Territory: Western

Ellie Johnson, Roman Mayfield Winner
College: Eastern Kentucky University
Major: Pre-Occupational Science
Parent: Timothy Johnso
Local: 1969 Company: Arkema
Territory: Southern

Nohealani Garcia Nunez
College: University of Texas at Austin
Major: Astronomy & Astrophysics
Parent: Raul Nunez Jr.
Local: 776 Company: Lockheed Martin
Territory: Southern

Aubrie Lucka, Vo-Tech
College: Ivy Tech Community College
Major: Nursing
Parent: Daniel Lucka
Local: 701 Company: Altorfer Caterpillar
Territory: Midwest

Andrea Schneier
College: University of Missouri – Kansas City
Major: Psychology
Parent: Angela Schneier
Local: 837A Company: Boeing
Territory: Midwest

Elena Styrczula
College: Lake Forest College
Major: Biology & Music
Parent: Richard Styrczula
Local: 126 Company: City of Chicago, O’hare AMC Building
Territory: Midwest

Bishop Parker
College: John Abbott College
Major: Sciences
Parent: Sean Parker
Local: 1751 Company: Air Canada, Ville St-Laurent QC
Territory: Canadian

Boren Zou
College: University of British Columbia
Major: Sciences
Parent: Wentao Zou
Local: 764 Company: Air Canada, Vancouver
Territory: Canadian

Sharon Vong, Member
Local: 1295
Company: Bellwood Health Systems
College: Centennial College
Major: Nursing
Territory: Canadian

Djamila Chabane, Member
Local: 1751
Company: Air Canada
College: CEGEP of Old Montreal
Major: Nursing
Territory: Canadian

Nicholas Fusco
College: Purdue University
Major: Mechanical Engineering
Parent: Michael Fusco
Local: 264 Company: MBTA
Territory: Eastern

Lilyana Thornton
College: Eckerd College
Major: Marine Sciences
Parent: Justin Thornton
Local: 2671 Company: Owens – Brockway Glass Container Inc.
Territory: Eastern

Dylan Mercado
Parent: Aleli Mercado
Local: 1726    Company: Southwest Airlines
Territory: Air Transport

Kaleb Diaz
Parent: Edgar Diaz
Local: 1487   Company: United Airlines
Territory: Air Transport

Eva Brooks, Member
Local: 2198
Company: United Airlines
Territory: Air Transport  

Abigail Thomas
Parent: Ajit Thomas
Local: 982    Company: MAT IT
Territory: Rail Division

Priscilla Rendon
Parent: Raul Rendon
Local: 938   Company: Union Pacific Railroad
Territory: Rail Division

Melissa Seng
Parent: Vanarith Ly
Local: 751    Company: Boeing
Territory: Western

Sydney Wagoner
Parent: Douglas Wagoner
Local: 1186  Company: UPS
Territory: Western 

Montana Franke
Parent: Aaron Franke
Local: 2916    Company: Amentu
Territory: Southern 

Ashlee Czaplewski
Parent: Stephen Czaplewski
Local: 1862    Company: ATI Materials
Territory: Midwest 

Lily Gilchrist
Parent: Greg Gilchrist
Local: 692    Company: Finning
Territory: Canadian

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Nearly 70,000 Massachusetts rideshare drivers become largest private workforce to win union recognition since Ford autoworkers in 1941

Historic progress for in Massachusetts inspires similar fights for union rights in California, Minnesota, Illinois 

BOSTON — In a watershed moment for the nation’s labor movement, rideshare drivers in Massachusetts with the App Drivers Union (ADU) have become the first statewide rideshare union in the country to win official recognition, creating a path toward negotiating better pay, job protections on behalf of nearly 70,000 rideshare drivers across the Commonwealth. 

Watch the full rally here.

At a rally Tuesday, rideshare drivers, alongside allies like Governor Maura Healey, Service Employees International Union (SEIU) President April Verrett and IAM Union (International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers) International President Brian Bryant, marked the historic turning point for the modern-day labor movement and major step forward in the fight to hold Big Tech companies accountable. 

Click here to view photos.

Rideshare drivers in Massachusetts are the largest private workforce to win union recognition since UAW autoworkers at Ford in 1941. With as many as 70,000 rideshare drivers in Massachusetts, recognition of their union is a historic win for working people that gives momentum to the nationwide push among rideshare drivers for union rights.

“I never dreamed that this day would happen. I once thought it was impossible that we would have a seat at the table with these two big corporations in front of us,” said  Victoria Acosta, a member leader of the App Drivers Union. “But nothing is impossible when you are united. For me, it is a dream come true, seeing the hard work of all my colleagues collecting cards, talking to the drivers, and making sure we can achieve what we dream. It was worth it because now we have our union.”

Following union recognition, drivers with the ADU will begin contract negotiations with the rideshare companies where they will seek to raise standards around pay, safety and deactivations. In doing so, rideshare drivers will pave a path for millions of drivers across the country to join together, organize a union and win important protections on the job. 

Rideshare drivers in the Commonwealth first made history in November 2024 when they won union rights through the passage of Question 3. In the months since, rideshare drivers have organized by the thousands through conversations in airport parking lots, car washes, stadiums,churches, community centers and more.

A Critical Organizing Breakthrough in the Gig Economy 

A defining feature of the Massachusetts law is its mandate that rideshare companies come to the table and bargain in good faith. Unlike organizing under the NLRA, the voter-approved law includes interest arbitration. If the ADU and the companies do not reach an agreement within six months, the dispute goes to an independent arbitrator to help set the terms of a collective bargaining agreement. This avoids the often protracted fights and barriers workers have to overcome to reach a first contract. 

Union recognition for Massachusetts rideshare drivers marks the most significant step forward for worker organizing in the gig economy. Securing the first collective bargaining agreement in the rideshare industry gives rideshare drivers real power to tackle unpredictable pay, unfair deactivations and other issues. 

“Massachusetts has always been at the forefront of the labor movement — from the mills of Lowell to the innovation economy of today. This is a historic moment for workers, for fairness and for the future of our economy,” said Governor Maura Healey. “Rideshare drivers are crucial members of our workforce and our communities, and they deserve a real voice in shaping their wages, benefits and working conditions.” 

“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 April Verrett, President of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU).  “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.”

“Massachusetts rideshare drivers just made labor history. Nearly 70,000 app-based drivers have officially won union recognition through the App Drivers Union — the first union recognition for app-based workers anywhere in the United States and the largest private-sector organizing victory in generations,” said Brian Bryant, IAM Union International President. “What started with the IAM Union organizing black car drivers in the 1990s has grown into a groundbreaking partnership with SEIU 32BJ that is now reshaping the future of work in America. This victory proves that no matter how powerful Big Tech becomes, workers still have the power to organize, demand fairness and win a real voice on the job.”

“This victory belongs to the drivers who spent years organizing in airport parking lots, community centers, places of worship and neighborhoods across Massachusetts to build power from the ground up,” said Mike Vartabedian, App Drivers Union Principal Officer and IAM District 15 Assistant Directing Business Representative. “Drivers are standing together for better pay, protection from unfair deactivations, transparency around algorithms, safer working conditions and dignity on the job. For too long, rideshare corporations made billions while drivers had little voice over the conditions they face every day. What’s happening in Massachusetts is a model for app-based workers everywhere who are ready to organize, demand respect and win a seat at the table.”

“Two years ago, we began this fight by speaking to our members and their relatives who were driving for rideshare companies. App drivers wanted a voice on the job and a path to a better future,” said Manny Pastreich, President 32BJ SEIU. “After tens of thousands of union cards, dozens of actions, one statewide ballot initiative, along with the dedication of a core group of activists, we are proud to play a part in winning the first union for app drivers. This win, like so many recent achievements in the labor movement, required rewriting the rules of organizing. Today, we celebrate a huge win for gig workers and take the next step in the fight for a better tomorrow.”

“This is one of the biggest organizing victories for labor unions in the last century. Big Tech spent years taking from drivers and writing the rules. Today, 70,000 Massachusetts rideshare drivers won because they wrote our own rules and won the union. Now, for the first time, the app companies have to listen to the workers who make them their money,” said Autumn Weintraub, executive director of the App Drivers Union. “This is not just a victory for rideshare drivers, but a warning shot to every Big Tech billionaire: working people are united and are willing to fight for more.” 

“For more than a decade, these drivers have been the engine of a multi-billion dollar industry with no clear path to organize, no seat at the table, no share of the prosperity they built. Now, they’re claiming their power in it,” said Representative Ayanna Pressley. “Throughout this fight, I’ve been honored to meet rideshare drivers from across the Commonwealth, hear their struggles and share in their dreams. This victory is theirs and it is a testament to what working people can win when they stand up and refuse to be left behind.”

“The most powerful antidote to corporate greed is worker power,” said Senator Ed Markey. “CEOs don’t drive our economy, workers do.  As the App Drivers Union enters this next phase, they are taking on some of the most influential tech companies of our time, including Uber and Lyft. By building power and standing together, tens of thousands of members strong, Massachusetts rideshare drivers have the power to secure dignity, fair wages and critical job protections throughout their industry. This is exactly what we need to reshape the economy so that it works for the people who fuel it, not just those at the top.”

“Today, we welcome, with open arms, 70,000 Massachusetts rideshare drivers who know a better future is possible when working people build power through unions,” said Liz Shuler, President of the AFL–CIO. “The App Drivers Union’s victory is a reminder that the billion-dollar rideshare industry is fueled by worker power, not corporate greed. These drivers prove what we’ve always known: when working people unite, we win.”

Blazing a Trail to Union Recognition 

In November 2024, voters in Massachusetts approved Question 3, a historic ballot initiative that gives drivers for rideshare companies the right to form a union and negotiate industry-wide standards to improve pay, benefits and working conditions. With the passage of Question 3, drivers won a definitive path toward building an organization of their own to provide a voice in an industry dominated by powerful corporations. 

“Today marks a historic milestone for rideshare drivers—particularly the tens of thousands of drivers who spoke out for fair pay, dignity, and a voice in this new industry,” said Senate President Karen E. Spilka. “Massachusetts is once again leading the way when it comes to strengthening worker protections and creating an equitable future as the gig economy evolves. I’m proud of the determination and collective action of everyone who made this possible, and I look forward to the example the App Drivers Union sets for everyone.”

Throughout their campaign to win the passage of Question 3, drivers across Massachusetts spoke out about the need to increase pay and improve working conditions. The drivers are not compensated for their vehicles, expenses that come out of their pockets for gas, insurance and maintenance, or for time spent awaiting or returning from rides. When those costs and limitations are accounted for, most drivers make less than the Massachusetts minimum wage of $15 an hour.

“When rideshare drivers began their fight for union rights, their demands were clear: respect, a voice on the job, and the power to take control over the future of their industry,” said Representative Frank A. Moran, Second Assistant Majority Leader of the House. “In less than two years since the passage of Question 3, rideshare drivers building the App Drivers Union achieved the extraordinary and have become the first-ever union of Uber and Lyft drivers in the United States.  This victory is the result of rideshare drivers thinking big, being bold and never backing down. I am proud to have walked alongside these drivers every step of the way.”

The ADU’s momentum in Massachusetts has already inspired similar movements in other states, representing what Center for American Progress (CAP) scholar David Madland calls “critical experiments for how to rapidly improve jobs in today’s economy.” 

“Rideshare drivers across Massachusetts are making history today,” said Senator Jason Lewis. “In the face of an industry that tried to cut them out and silence them, they’ve taken power back into their hands and, in the process, are inspiring drivers across the country to follow suit. Massachusetts has given workers across the gig economy a roadmap for how to fight exploitation, force accountability and win real power for workers.”

“The Chinese Progressive Association (CPA) is proud to have worked side by side with the App Drivers Union to pass Question 3 on the November 2024 ballot,” said Irene Jor, Executive Director of CPA. “Since then we have swung into action to organize and collect union authorization signatures. Organizing a workforce that doesn’t congregate in a single location is no easy task, drivers have rallied, organized their fellow drivers, and knocked on countless doors, and come together across communities to lay out their vision for a gig economy that respects and protects workers. Onward to a good contract!”

Earlier this month, rideshare drivers in California came one step closer to establishing a union. Their union, the California Gig Workers Union, had received support from over 10 percent of active drivers in the state, crossing an important threshold and kickstarting a process similar to Massachusetts. 

Now, drivers in Massachusetts, California, Illinois, Minnesota and beyond are seizing their opportunity to build a more equitable rideshare industry where they have the ability to negotiate stronger standards around pay, safety and benefits. Their fight is a step towards a brighter future where all working people have dignity and the power to organize a union. 

About the App Drivers Union

The ADU is an affiliate of 32BJ SEIU and the IAM Union (International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers). Until the passage of Question 3 in Massachusetts, there had been no state or federal process for rideshare drivers to organize a union or bargain collectively. With Question 3, drivers won in Massachusetts the same right millions of other workers across the country enjoy – the option to join together in a union and negotiate with their employers. Their union recognition victory blazes a new trail for drivers across the country seeking to build a better, more equitable industry. 

The post Massachusetts Rideshare Drivers Make History as App Drivers Union Becomes First Certified Union of Rideshare Drivers in U.S. appeared first on IAM Union.