Metropolis Council Member Shekar Krishnan rallied with Uber and Lyft drivers for his laws aimed toward strengthening their job protections. Thursday, Dec. 4, 2025.
Picture by Lloyd Mitchell
A Queens metropolis lawmaker stated on Thursday that he expects his laws, aimed toward strengthening protections for Uber and Lyft drivers from being kicked off the platforms by “deactivations,” to obtain a vote earlier than the present Metropolis Council’s session ends in two weeks.
Metropolis Council Member Shekar Krishnan advised New York News he believes the council will take up his invoice, Intro. 276, throughout its final full assembly scheduled for Dec. 18.
“We are moving forward with all deliberate speed to get this done before the end of the year,” the council member stated. “We’re in the final stages of reviewing and finalizing legislation. My expectation is that by the end of this year, we’ll have this done.”
The Council member made the prediction following a rally with for-hire-vehicle drivers who say they had been instantly fired by Uber and Lyft with out a proof or course of in place — a apply these affected name “deactivation.”
Uber and Lyft drivers who say they had been unfairly deactivated by the apps rallying for a invoice designed to spice up their job protections. Thursday, Dec. 4, 2025.Picture by Lloyd Mitchell
The laws is designed to protect in opposition to wrongful firings by putting the burden of proof on the apps in deactivation instances, requiring them to observe the usual for “just cause” in such situations, mandating 14 days’ discover, and instituting an unbiased appeals course of.
Proponents of the invoice argue the present appeals course of is managed by the apps as a result of it’s run by the Unbiased Drivers Guild, which is funded by Uber.
“Intro. 276 makes clear that every driver in this city must be given notice, must be given an opportunity to be heard, must know the charges against them before they are deactivated, not after,” Krishnan stated. “It makes sure that process is happening in front of a neutral arbiter and agency. So we don’t have a situation where Uber and Lyft are the prosecutor, judge and jury.”
All through the rally, Krishnan and New York Taxi Staff Alliance Govt Director Bhairavi Desai stood shoulder to shoulder with drivers who shared tales of how they misplaced their livelihoods attributable to what they recognized as unfair deactivation. They stated the apply hampered their potential to pay lease, purchase groceries, foot utility payments, and make automobile funds.
Saif Aizah, a driver who claims he was deactivated by Uber, acknowledged that he was unfairly faraway from the app after the corporate falsely accused him of fraud, leaving him with no means to defend himself.
“I am drowning in so much debt that I filed for bankruptcy because of what unfair deactivation did to me,” Aizah stated. “Unfair deactivation ruined my life.”
Saif Aizah, a driver who says he was deactivated by Uber. Thursday, Dec. 4, 2025.Picture by Lloyd Mitchell
Spokespeople for Uber and Lyft didn’t instantly reply to New York News’s requests for remark.
Nonetheless, the IDG argued that the invoice would have the other impact of its supposed goal.
In a Thursday assertion, IDG President Brendan Sexton claimed that by looking for to implement an unbiased appeals process, the measure would give the apps full management over the method by transferring it away from the guild.
“We will not support any bill that hands power back to the companies or strips away the rights we spent years winning,” Sexton stated. “There is an easy fix the City Council can make to protect hardworking rideshare drivers – and we urge the bill sponsor to accept our amendments to do just that,”
