Bay Area Council Statement on Lawsuit Against Uber and Lyft

The Bay Area Council today (May 5) issued the following statement on a lawsuit filed against Uber and Lyft:

“It’s regrettable to see this lawsuit based on legislation that was so badly flawed to begin with,” said Jim Wunderman, President and CEO of the Bay Area Council. “AB 5 was a complete overreach and so poorly written that legislators were scrambling until the final moments to rework it. And the work to undo its unintended consequences continues to this day. It’s been rejected by large numbers of independent contractors who are being harmed by its restrictive provisions, who prefer to remain independent, and who want the flexibility and control that these platforms provide for their livelihoods. The companies targeted by these lawsuits are already working to address many of the key issues some contractors have raised, including earning guarantees and other worker protections and benefits, and should be given a chance to make that work. Tens of thousands of independent contractors who rely on these platforms will be harmed by this at a time when we’re facing one of the worst economic crises in our state’s history.”