Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court Decision Opens the Door for Widespread Attack on Employee Rights

(BOSTON) – Teamsters are condemning the decision by the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court to allow Uber, Lyft, DoorDash and Instacart to go before voters this November with an anti-worker, anti-taxpayer referendum. The ballot question, if passed, would legitimize Big Tech companies’ practice of unlawfully misclassifying employees as independent contractors.

“These billion-dollar companies like Uber and Lyft are brazenly using worker misclassification as a cover while they engage in wage theft and deny fair wages, benefits, and job protections to their workforce,” said Tom Mari, Teamsters Local 25 President. “This misguided decision paves the way for these greedy corporations to continue abusing workers and externalizing their labor costs onto the public. Despite this setback, we will continue fighting for workers in Massachusetts.”

The measure, as written, contradicts the Commonwealth’s standard for independent contractor classification – the ABC Test – and the U.S. Dept. of Labor’s standard, the Economic Realities Test. Beyond the negative impact on workers, worker misclassification robs state coffers: a recent study found that many gig workers earn less than minimum wage after expenses, and an inquiry by the state auditor found that gig companies have been bilking government programs for millions of dollars in revenue.

Teamsters Local 25 represents more than 12,000 members and their families in greater Boston and southern New England. For more information, visit teamsterslocal25.com.

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