BOSTON - Question 3 is one of the ballot questions Massachusetts voters will be deciding on this year and it involves rideshare drivers for companies like Uber and Lyft.
Question 3 would grant rideshare drivers the option to form unions. If the question doesn't pass, the status quo would be maintained and drivers would not be allowed to unionize.
"I love driving around, I love getting to meet new people, I love talking to everyone," said rideshare driver Lisbeth Lopez. She's even become a bit of a tour guide, picking people up from the airport and welcoming visitors to her home state of Massachusetts. But those trips are also her livelihood.
"All I want is to provide my kid," said Lopez. She said driving for Uber isn't putting money in her pocket like it used to. "That definitely affected the way we live, where we live. You used to be able to afford basic needs, it's getting harder and harder."
That's why Lopez is using her voice to advocate for a "yes" on Question 3 in November, allowing rideshare drivers the option to join a union.
"Many folks here in Massachusetts have come to rely on Uber and Lyft drivers," said union representative Roxana Rivera, supporting what she said is roughly 70,000 rideshare drivers hoping for the ballot question to pass. "They've taken more of the share of the ride, so they've basically made more profits on the back of these drivers."
Uber said it has concerns about the question's language but isn't campaigning against it, claiming the demands already exist. The Attorney General's Office did reach a recent settlement with rideshare companies which now provide drivers with a standard of pay, health insurance and family leave.
A spokesperson for Uber wrote, in part, "...We have no doubt that if drivers choose to organize, they will hold the benefits they've already won central to any negotiations."
Question 3 advocates recognize the progress that's been made but want more, like coverage for tolls and gas and time between rides. If Question 3 passes, drivers will have to get signatures from 25% of active drivers, then a union will be formed and negotiations will begin.
But do all drivers want in?
"I think sometimes it gets a little out of control," said rideshare driver Barbara Hopkinson. She's new to Lyft and Uber and said she's concerned a union overseeing drivers could backfire. "I think sometimes there are constraints that may force them into a strike when they don't want to."
According to Uber, nearly 80% of drivers support the current agreement with the Massachusetts Attorney General's Office.