Victoria Uber Drivers Get Wage Bonuses, Wellness Fund

Greater Victoria Uber Drivers have a new deal that includes bonuses, the ability to appeal customer ratings and a $500 fund that can be used on extended benefits or as sick pay. 

The contract, which covers about 1,000 drivers in Greater Victoria, is the first collective agreement achieved by ride-hailing app workers in Canada.

“We are feeling so proud,” said Victoria uber driver Amninder Singh. “It's a fresh start, like a very new beginning.”

Drivers first unionized with United Food and Commercial Workers Local 1518 last July.

Eight months later, a committee of drivers and the union negotiated a four-year agreement with Uber. It was ratified on April 28, with 99 per cent of the drivers in favour.

Laura Miller, Uber Canada’s head of public policy and communications, said in an email the agreement reflects months of good-faith discussions and protects drivers’ flexibility.

“We’re pleased that drivers have voted to ratify this agreement,” Miller said. “This is part of an ongoing process as we learn what works best for drivers.”

She added that the company looks forward to continuing to work with UFCW 1518 and that there would be no changes to how drivers use the app.

The deal will mean drivers are paid quarterly, trip-volume-based bonuses starting Sept. 1 of this year, ranging from $75 for drivers who complete 150-250 trips during that time, up to $600 for drivers who complete more than 751.

The bonuses increase approximately two per cent per year for the length of the contract. 

Besides the monetary gains, the deal will give drivers the ability to appeal bad ratings when they lose access to work and dispute when the app deactivates a driver after a customer complaint. It also includes a provision requiring Uber to consult with the union before launching new products in the Victoria region.

Patrick Johnson, president of UFCW 1518, said the non-monetary measures will give drivers more of a say in their workplace.

“We're super excited,” he said, “Having a formal dispute resolution process has been one of the main asks that can really give folks a voice at work.”

Drivers will also be able to sit on a health and safety committee that regularly meets with the employer to address drivers’ concerns.

Singh said unionizing has been key in ensuring drivers can communicate with representatives of Uber, who he said are effectively their managers.

“So many drivers in different cities have done lots of [rallies] but representatives or managers from the Uber company don’t come to meet them,” he said. “But after becoming a union in Victoria, we bargained with them continuously for nine months.”

Drivers allege issues with pay

Singh added that while the wage increases are good, he’s hoping to continue to ask the provincial government to review its ride-hailing app legislation.

Driver’s pay is determined by an opaque algorithm to boost profits for the app, but means drivers are often unsure how their pay is calculated and what riders are being charged.

While there are no standard pay rates for drivers, the B.C. government implemented a minimum wage for drivers. The wage currently sits at $21.43 per hour, and Uber is required to make up the difference if drivers make less than that amount per hour.

But Singh said many drivers in Victoria who were previously able to make about $30 per hour saw wages drop to the minimum wage once the new laws were introduced.

“We are lobbying the government,” Singh said. “Hopefully they can change something with a bill in the coming months.”

BC Labour Minister Jennifer Whiteside said in an email that the law ensures wages do not fall below a minimum threshold.

The regulations also ensure drivers are entitled to a vehicle expense allowance and they receive 100 per cent of tips.

“The regulations responded to concerns raised by many gig workers during consultations in 2022, which included the issue of unpredictable pay,” Whiteside said. “At the time, many workers reported they were not earning minimum wage when taking into account their time and vehicle costs.”

She added the ministry is currently reviewing the regulations, and will continue to consult with drivers, labour organizations and platform companies.

“When the consultations are complete, the ministry will consider whether government needs to refine or amend the regulations to ensure they are achieving the intended outcomes,” she said.