LYNN — When Victoria Acosta began driving for a rideshare company, she thought it would be a great way to provide for her family and make a decent living. But five years later, the 45-year-old Dominican immigrant and single mother said she can barely afford to make ends meet for her three children by driving for Lyft.
Now, Acosta is working with state Sen. Brendan Crighton to fight for the rights of rideshare drivers to form unions and collectively bargain.
Acosta and 32BJ SEIU Regional Communications Manager Franklin Soults spoke on Friday about how local rideshare drivers are dealing with rising costs, job insecurity, and unsafe working conditions.
“It would change my life a lot if we could negotiate a higher wage with the union,” Acosta said, with Soults translating for her. “For example, my car, I’m still paying it off and I’d have more time to do things like go back and finish my studies. We’re earning less now and in earning less, that means I have to work more.”
Soults works for the largest union of property-services workers in the United States and deals with labor-abuse issues. He said he works with a largely Latino and low-income workforce.