Show an ad over header. AMP  

The gig economy is on the ballot in California

08 October 2020
 Dan Ackermann

Prop 22 is shaping up to be California's most expensive ballot question ever, and its outcome could upend a gig economy business model that's attracted hundreds of billions of investment dollars.

  • State of play: Prop 22, supported by such companies as DoorDash and Uber, is favored in most recent polling. But it's no sure bet, due to a large chunk of still undecided voters.

If it passes: Gig economy companies would be able to continue classifying delivery workers and ride-hail drivers as contractors, while providing some new benefits like minimum earnings, health care subsidies, and vehicle insurance.

If it fails: Gig economy companies could be required to abide by a California law that effectively would cause them to treat such workers as employees. Several of the companies have argued that the law doesn't apply to them, but nonetheless have plugged huge money into Prop 22 — which could help head those legal fights off at the pass.

  • A recent UC Berkeley poll gives Prop 22 a 39-36 edge among likely voters, with 25% undecided.
  • A recent San Diego Union-Tribune/10News poll shows 45% in favor, 31% opposed, and 25% undecided.

Prop 22 is a state issue, but what happens in California could inspire similar ballot measures elsewhere, or even federal action.

  • Both Joe Biden and Kamala Harris have previously expressed support the California law that Prop 22 seeks to modify, and House Democrats passed a bill with similar language.

Gig economy companies are spending huge on Prop 22.

  • Through Sept. 23, "Yes on Proposition 22" had received $184.3 million. Backers include Uber ($50M), Lyft ($48M), DoorDash ($47M), InstaCart ($28M), and Postmates ($11M).
  • "No on Prop 22" received just $10.7 million, mostly from labor unions.
  • Some gig economy companies also have been showing in-app ads to drivers and customers about the ballot measures — something the companies argue is informative, while critics argue is intrusive.

The bottom line: This remains a very close ballot battle, particularly in light of the dollar differential.

Transcripts show George Floyd told police "I can't breathe" over 20 times

Section2

Newly released transcripts of bodycam footage from the Minneapolis Police Department show that George Floyd told officers he could not breathe more than 20 times in the moments leading up to his death.

Why it matters: Floyd's killing sparked a national wave of Black Lives Matter protests and an ongoing reckoning over systemic racism in the United States. The transcripts "offer one the most thorough and dramatic accounts" before Floyd's death, The New York Times writes.

The state of play: The transcripts were released as former officer Thomas Lane seeks to have the charges that he aided in Floyd's death thrown out in court, per the Times. He is one of four officers who have been charged.

  • The filings also include a 60-page transcript of an interview with Lane. He said he "felt maybe that something was going on" when asked if he believed that Floyd was having a medical emergency at the time.

What the transcripts say:

  • Floyd told the officers he was claustrophobic as they tried to get him into the squad car.
  • The transcripts also show Floyd saying, "Momma, I love you. Tell my kids I love them. I'm dead."
  • Former officer Derek Chauvin, who had his knee on Floyd's neck for over eight minutes, told Floyd, "Then stop talking, stop yelling, it takes a heck of a lot of oxygen to talk."

Read the transcripts via DocumentCloud.