California’s Prop 22 is going to screw over gig workers for years to come, and the terrible anti-labor could soon be coming to a state near you

California’s Prop 22 is going to screw over gig workers for years to come, and the terrible anti-labor could soon be coming to a state near you

The passing of Proposition 22 in California dealt a serious blow to gig workers in the state.

The threat of similar policies loom across the nation.

The Biden administration is in a position to fight back by reinvigorationg the Federal Trade Commission and being agressive with the Department of Labor.

Pat Garofalo is director of state and local policy at the American Economic Liberties Project.

This is an opinion column. The thoughts expressed are those of the author.

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The passage of Proposition 22 in California was a serious blow to workers in the state, and the disaster could soon spread nationwide. 

The new law came in response to AB5, a California law that required companies to give many freelancers and gig workers the employee benefits that they deserve, such as health care, But Prop 22 made it so drivers for the dominant ride-hailing and delivery app corporations - Uber, Lyft, Doordash, and the like - will be exempted from AB5 regulations and in turn relegated to a perpetual underclass

These drivers will be permanently paid poor wages and receive paltry benefits. Prop. 22 also leaves drivers no recourse in the California legislature, since it includes the requirement that any