SPRINGFIELD — In a moment that labor advocates are calling historic for the digital gig economy, rideshare drivers and labor leaders gathered at the Illinois State Capitol this week to press lawmakers to advance a bill that would finally give them a clear pathway to unionize and bargain collectively.
The proposed legislation — known as the Illinois Transportation Network Driver Labor Relations Act — would allow more than 100,000 drivers for app-based services like Uber and Lyft to organize and negotiate working conditions with the companies that control their schedules, income, and job access.
“This bill protects drivers and guarantees their rights to have a voice,” said Sam Cicinelli, a spokesperson for the Illinois Drivers Alliance, at a rally on the Capitol steps. “It’s about fairness, it’s about dignity, and it’s about respecting the workers who make this industry possible.”
A Decades-Long Labor Ethos Meets the Gig Economy
For years, rideshare drivers in Illinois have lacked basic collective bargaining rights under federal law because they’re classified as independent contractors — a status that companies have used to shield themselves from traditional labor protections. Under current rules, drivers can’t legally unionize, despite often working full-time hours and relying on the platforms for income.
At the Capitol rally, Rep. Yolonda Morris (D-Chicago) — one of the bill’s planned sponsors — invoked Chicago’s storied labor history as she addressed drivers and supporters:
“The eight-hour workday, the overtime pay, the health care, the safety on the job — all of it came from the right to organize,” she said. “Today, we are here for Uber drivers.”
Her remarks positioned the bill not merely as policy but as a continuation of Illinois’ longstanding role as a labor leader.
Drivers Speak: Power and Protection
At the heart of the movement are the drivers themselves.
“Let’s be honest, we don’t operate independently at all,” said Brett Currin, a rideshare driver and Illinois Drivers Alliance member. “We don’t set our own wages. We don’t control the rules. We don’t decide who is deactivated and how they’re punished — the algorithm and the corporations do. The drivers are left powerless in Illinois.”
Supporters say the legislation would not change drivers’ contractor status — a central point of debate nationwide — but would create a state-level framework that allows rideshare drivers to unionize anyway, giving them the chance to collectively bargain over pay, safety standards, and algorithmic transparency.
At the rally, leaders emphasized that current earning realities under apps are often precarious. Independent research has shown that, despite rising fares over recent years, driver wages have not kept pace with inflation and expenses, compounding frustration among many who depend on rideshare work.
Union Allies and Strategic Shifts
The effort is backed by SEIU Local 1 and IAM Local 701, two prominent unions with deep roots in the Midwest labor movement. At the rally, Genie Kastrup, president of SEIU Local 1, stressed the essential nature of rideshare work while calling on lawmakers to act:
“Rideshare drivers like those gathered here today … work long, hard hours, often at great personal risk, to keep all of Illinois moving,” she said. “And yet, despite doing this essential work, they have been denied the same rights as other workers in our state.”
According to coalition organizers, thousands of rideshare drivers and supporters filed hundreds of witness slips with lawmakers ahead of hearings, signaling strong grassroots momentum.
“Illinois Has Always Been a Labor State”
Drivers, union leaders, and elected officials stressed that the bill reflects Illinois’ broader identity as a state with a strong labor tradition — one that has historically backed workers negotiating for fair wages and safe conditions.
“Today is historic,” said Kastrup, underscoring that the legislation would not only provide a legal path to unionization but also allow drivers to negotiate contracts that can improve their working lives and economic security.
What’s Next for the Bill
Supporters are now pressing policymakers in both the Illinois House and Senate to formally file and advance the bill through legislative committees. If it moves forward, the state would join a growing list of jurisdictions experimenting with new models of collective bargaining rights for gig workers — following precedents in places like Massachusetts, where similar policies passed via ballot measure.
Proponents argue that this state-driven approach to unionization could serve as a model for other states struggling to adapt traditional labor law to the realities of app-based work. Opponents — including some industry groups — caution that new union frameworks could complicate rideshare business models and stifle flexibility for drivers.
But in Springfield, on that brisk winter morning, the message from drivers was unequivocal: after years of organizing, they are ready to transform the rideshare economy into one where they have a voice at the table, fair representation, and a path toward economic dignity.
