WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Uber (UBER) drivers in Victoria ratified their first-ever union contract, the first of its kind for app-based drivers.
The agreement covers more than 1,000 drivers, new members who joined United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) 1518 in July 2025, when Victoria became the first Canadian city where app-based workers unionized.
The signing of the contract secures core workplace protections including improved health and safety measures, fair dispute processes, and better pay and wellness benefits.
Benefits include signing and quarterly bonuses, annual fee increases, and a wellness fund for sick time or extended benefits.
The dispute resolution process now has mandated time limits, giving drivers the ability to contest issues related to pay, suspension, ratings and deactivations.
'This agreement is irrefutable proof that when workers unite to work together in solidarity with a common goal, great results can be achieved,' said Gilberto Talero Almanza, Uber driver and bargaining committee member. The contract ensures drivers have 'respect and dignity at work.', he added.
UFCW Canada National President Barry Sawyer said sets a strong precedent in British Columbia and urged other governments to act to protect app-based workers.
UFCW Canada has worked with the British Columbia government to develop laws for platform workers and has filled thousands of dispute cases on behalf of drivers since signing a national agreement with Uber in 2022.
On the NYSE, shares of Uber were gaining 0.49 percent in overnight trading at $74.47, after closing Tuesday's regular trading 2.83 percent lower at $74.11
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