The Independent Drivers Guild (IDG) is one of the largest Uber and Lyft driver advocacy groups in NYC (and the world!). Founded in 2016, IDG now represents tens of thousands of for-hire drivers in New York City (NYC TLC) and advocates for over 250,000 drivers across New York State, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Illinois and Florida.
Earlier today, IDG President Brendan Sexton, Policy Director Andrew Greenblatt and organizer Michele Dottin joined AutoMarketplace’s Dawood Mian for a wide-ranging conversation covering how IDG was formed and is funded, Uber / Lyft driver deactivations (including discussion about NYC Council’s Intro 276), NYC driver lockouts, the release of EV-restricted TLC Plates late last year, leasing companies, the yellow cab industry, taxi medallions, capping NYC TLC driver licenses, why drivers need a union & more!
We want to thank Brendan, Andrew, and Michele for their time, openness, and engaging discussion. We hope you enjoy it!
Click here for IDG’s website, including deactivation representation.
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Also available on YouTube ⬇️
TABLE OF CONTENTS
0:00 Intro 0:42 Independent Drivers Guild (IDG) background 4:57 Independent contractors and unions 8:29 How is IDG funded? 12:31 IDG mental health program 13:59 How many individuals on IDG staff? 14:46 Uber NYC deactivations & NYC Council Intro 276 16:04 Why is IDG against Intro 276 21:48 Would Intro 276 eliminate IDG’s deactivation process? 23:36 IDG believes Intro 276 will hurt drivers 24:04 IDG’s deactivation appeals process 28:06 Why is Uber against Intro 276? 31:00 Intro 276 (deactivation) summary thoughts 36:03 Deactivations related to service animals 38:28 Drivers getting deactivated for drug use? Drug test? 39:40 IAmDeactivated.com 41:26 Court of law vs. Uber 42:40 NYC Uber & Lyft lockouts 44:29 10,000 new EV TLC Plates, Mandate & Green Rides 45:48 Why are we limiting the number of FHVs vs. TLC driver’s license? 48:05 Uber is different than yellow cabs? 48:31 Supply vs. Demand 53:54 How about new people (immigrants) wanting to drive NYC TLC? 57:31 NYC TLC driver’s license cap 1:01:36 How do we solve NYC driver lockouts? (Part 1) 1:03:37 What do you say to the individual taxi medallion owner-driver? 1:06:30 “We don’t want to wipe out medallions” 1:07:25 Addressing taxi medallion owner argument 1:07:25 Independent contractors and unions 1:09:24 How do we solve NYC driver lockouts? (Part 2) 1:10:20 Do you agree with the utilization rate (UR)-based NYC driver pay formula? 1:12:45 10,000 trip high-volume (HV) NYC base threshold discussion 1:17:03 NYC TLC drivers vs. taxi medallion owners? Zero sum advocacy? Conflicts? 1:20:28 Thoughts on Marblegate as a “Landlord” 1:22:09 “The boss doesn’t represent workers” and why we need unions 1:23:12 “How do we lift this industry into a middle class job?” 1:25:00 “The voice should always be the worker” 1:25:48 Concluding remarks
✊ "The Boss Doesn't Represent Workers": Conversation with Independent Drivers Guild (IDG)