California-based gig worker Troi Valentino told Flexible Work News in a July 23 statement that if the state strikes down Proposition (Prop) 22, which classifies app-based gig workers as independent contractors and provides wage and labor protections, many food delivery workers would be impacted by the change in their earnings.
“I do food deliveries, and this would affect most food delivery drivers as a lot of times we have to wait for orders out of our control,” said Valentino. “For example, there are times we get a 3 dollar order base pay and it takes 30 minutes or more to complete the order due to restaurant wait times. Most food delivery drivers would be impacted by this as base pay is very low and wait times are long.”
Prop 22, also known as the “App-Based Drivers as Contractors and Labor Policies Initiative,” was approved by California voters in 2020. According to Investopedia, the measure provides several wage and labor policies that apply to app-based workers for companies such as Uber, Lyft, and DoorDash. These include healthcare subsidies and occupational accident insurance provided by the companies, guaranteed earnings of 120% of the state minimum wage, and disability payments.
In 2021, Alameda County Superior Court Judge Frank Roesch ruled that Prop 22 was unconstitutional. However, according to Investopedia, a California appellate court reversed Judge Roesch’s ruling in 2023. The Service Employees International Union (SEIU) appealed the ruling to the California Supreme Court.
The California Chamber of Commerce said it supports Prop 22 “to ensure that thousands of workers continue to have access to this important work that provides a flexible option to earn income,” according to its website. The Chamber stated supporting app-based gig workers “is critical to a diverse and robust economy.” It added that it “strongly supports” the protections Prop 22 provides to gig workers, particularly those pertaining to wages and benefits.
According to Axios, approximately 5% of California’s total workforce engages in app-based work for companies such as Uber, Lyft, and DoorDash. The state’s gig workers contributed $38 billion to California’s economy in 2022. Gig work provides benefits such as flexibility and the opportunity to earn extra income.
In addition to gig work, Valentino runs a YouTube channel focused on entertainment such as gaming and music.
