| Council’s rideshare minimum compensation ordinance has prompted nearly a dozen new and expanding rideshare companies to prepare to launch in Minneapolis. These include businesses that are locally owned, owned by people of color, and a worker-owned co-operative.
Additionally, the ordinance has sparked a local and national conversation about how every single worker deserves a minimum wage. Check out recent coverage in the Minnesota Reformer, The Washington Post, PBS, and Here’s the Truth.
At the end of March, Council Member Jenkins introduced a notice of intent to reconsider the ordinance without any specifics of what changes she intended to make. This caused a great deal of confusion amongst the public, as well as concern from new and emerging rideshare companies that Council was going to repeal the ordinance.
We want to clarify the next steps on the reconsideration of the rideshare minimum compensation ordinance that will take place at the Council meeting on April 11.
- Council Member Jenkins may bring any amendment to the ordinance or motion to rescind the ordinance entirely. She has not shared her intentions with the Council or the public. We do not support rescinding the ordinance or support changing the rates to subminimum wage equivalents in response to corporate pressure from Uber and Lyft.
- Council Members Payne, Cashman and Chowdhury are bringing a motion to delay the implementation of the ordinance from May 1 to July 1 in order to give more time for new and emerging companies to establish infrastructure, recruit drivers, and publicize to riders. This change may or may not influence Uber or Lyft’s decision to leave the city on May 1 in response to Council mandating that they pay minimum wage equivalents. We support adjusting the implementation date to July 1 to support new and emerging rideshare companies.
- The ordinance co-authors will be bringing a notice of intent to amend the ordinance with two provisions that are crucial for successful enforcement. These will progress through the legislative process starting on April 11th, with a full vote of the Council in late May.
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Fare transparency- mandating that all rideshare companies send receipts to both riders and drivers detailing how much the rider was charged, how much the driver was paid, the distance and duration of the ride, and other basic details.
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Data disclosure- outlining the data that all rideshare companies must report to the city on a regular basis. Regular and unrestricted data is crucial for the Council to be able to assess and enforce the ordinance. Currently, the city’s Policy and Research (PAR) division is in contact with the Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry (DLI) to see if there is any available Minneapolis-specific data. This amendment would guarantee the city direct access to much more comprehensive and Minneapolis-specific data going forward.
We are confident that these three changes- a July 1 implementation date, data disclosure, and fare transparency- will strengthen the policy and help ensure equitable outcomes for drivers and riders. We are also excited to continue the ongoing conversations with the State Legislature about a statewide policy to complement Minneapolis’, as well as continued conversations about a smooth and equitable implementation of the ordinance with our local partners including labor, Meet Minneapolis, Metro Transit, the Chamber of Commerce, and more.
Sincerely,
Council Member Wonsley
Council Member Chavez
Council Member Osman |
