Minneapolis mayor vetoes measure for minimum wage to Uber and Lyft drivers
Minneapolis' mayor has vetoed a minimum wage for Uber, Lyft and other ride-hailing drivers in the city
Minneapolis' mayor on Tuesday vetoed minimum wages for Uber, Lyft and other ride-hailing drivers, a move one City Council member described as “an inexcusable betrayal of Minneapolis workers.”
Mayor Jacob Frey instead negotiated with Uber, securing an agreement for higher pay for only those drivers.
In his veto message, Frey wrote he “secured a commitment from Uber” that drivers picking up passengers in Minneapolis or driving within the city will make the city’s minimum wage of $15 an hour. The company also committed to paying Uber drivers at least $5 for any trip in the metro area.
Lyft drivers are not covered by the mayor’s deal.
Under the ordinance Frey vetoed, all ride-hailing companies would be required to pay drivers at least $1.40 per mile and $0.51 per minute, or $5, whichever is greater. The rule would only apply for the portion of the ride within the city.
Seattle and New York City have passed similar policies in recent years.
«It’s clear we need more time to get this right,” Frey said in a Tuesday statement. “In the coming weeks, we will work in partnership with all stakeholders to do our homework, deliberate, and make sure we put together an ordinance that is data-driven and clearly articulates policies based on known impacts, not speculation.”
Minneapolis City Councilmember Robin Wonsley on Tuesday slammed Frey as “ready to abandon any commitment to living wages or workers’ rights under the pressure of lobbying by multibillion-dollar out-of-state corporations.”
“This veto is an inexcusable betrayal of Minneapolis workers,” Wonsley said in a statement. “The ordinance was developed over eight months of
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