Every day, New York’s rideshare drivers face the risk of being unfairly kicked off the apps they rely on to earn a living. For years, drivers have had a fair, proven way to fight back: a union-won grievance process negotiated by the IAM Union (the Machinists Union) and run by the Independent Drivers Guild.

This process has helped tens of thousands of New York City Uber and Lyft drivers get reinstated after unfair deactivations — often within days — so they can keep working, pay their rent, and support their families. It’s free to taxpayers, multilingual, and supported by trained advocates who guide drivers every step of the way. In 2024 alone, IDG helped more than 4,000 New York City drivers get back to work.

Learn more about IDG’s first-in-the-nation, worker-led deactivation appeals program here. 

But now, a City Council bill, Int. 276, sponsored by Council Member Shekar Krishnan — threatens to replace this successful, union-run system with a weak, city-run process that has already failed other workers. 

Here’s why that’s a problem:

• ❌ 90% of drivers would lose their ability to get help. The city plan only allows appeals in a small portion of deactivations, leaving most drivers without the help they need to get back to work.
  
• ❌ The proposed city agency can’t handle the volume. The Department of Consumer and Worker Protection, which would run this program, handled just 29 fast-food cases last year — while IDG manages hundreds of rideshare appeals each month.
  
• ❌ No advocates for immigrant drivers. Under Int. 276, drivers would be left to navigate a confusing, two-tier city-run process on their own — in a workforce where 91% are immigrants and many speak English as a second language.

The Independent Drivers Guild, the Machinists Union, and the New York City Central Labor Council are urging the Council to fix Int. 276 before passing it.

We’re fighting to make sure drivers don’t lose the rights we’ve already won. If the bill is amended to include the existing IDG grievance system and the expertise of worker advocates, it could truly help Uber and Lyft drivers, and we would support it. But as currently written, it’s a massive step backward for driver rights.

The bottom line: Don’t replace a union-won system that works with a city system that doesn’t. Fix Int. 276 — and keep drivers’ voices, advocates, and hard-won rights at the center of any new law.

Learn more about IDG’s first-in-the-nation, worker led deactivation appeals program here.