Committee on Labor - 05/01/25
Minnesota Senate Media Services
[{'start': '548.247', 'end': '549.315', 'text': "TESTING, TESTING THE SENATE  LABOR COMMITTEE IS CALLED TO  ORDER.  TODAY IS THURSDAY, MAY  MAY 1ST HAPPY MAYDAY EVERYONE  IT IS JUST AFTER 9 A.M. WE WILL  BEGIN OUR INFORMATIONAL HEARING  TODAY ON SENATE FILE 3229 AND  WE HAVE SEN.  MOHAMED HERE TO  PRESENT THIS BILL FOR US AND A  NUMBER OF TESTIFIERS THAT WE  LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING FROM  WELCOME EVERYONE.  SEN.   MOHAMED TO YOUR BILL.     THANK YOU MME.  CHAIR SHOULD  WE START WITH THE AMENDMENT OR  START WITH OTHER THINGS.  I  WOULD LIKE TO START WITH THE  AMENDMENT.        THE A1 AMENDMENT IS LANGUAGE  FROM THE BUREAU OF MEDIATION  SERVICES AND THEY REQUESTED  THAT WE MAKE THOSE TECHNICAL  CHANGES SO THAT CLEANS UP THE  BILL O WE CAN GET TO THE  NEGOTIATION TABLE.     MEMBERS SENATOR MANN MOHAMED  PRESENTS THE A1 AMENDMENT IF  SOMEONE COULD MOVE TO ADOPT THE  AUTHORS AMENDMENT SEN.  KUPEC  MOVES THE A1 AMENDMENT ALL  THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE, THOSE  OPPOSED THE A1 AMENDMENT IS  ADOPTED.  TO YOUR BILL AS  AMENDED.     THANK YOU MME.  CHAIR AND  THANK YOU MEMBERS FOR ALLOWING  THE OPPORTUNITY TO HEAR SENATE  FILE 3229 A BILL TO ESTABLISH  COLLECTIVE BARGAINING RIGHTS  FOR TRANSPORTATION NETWORK  COMPANY TNC DRIVERS IN  MINNESOTA.  LAST YEAR WE TOOK A  CRITICAL STEP FORWARD TO RAISE  WAGES AND PROTECT RIDESHARE  DRIVERS BUT THE REMAINING AND  VAST ISSUES IN THE RIDESHARE  INDUSTRY CALLED FOR A LONG-TERM  SOLUTION.  DRIVERS CONTINUE TO  WORK WITHOUT A VOICE WITHOUT  AND ENDED WITHOUT TRANSPARENT  OUR RATES ARE SET OR IN SOME  CASES WHY THEY MAY BE  DEACTIVATED FROM THE PLATFORMS  AND WITHOUT THE ABILITY TO  SHAPE THE CONDITIONS OF THEIR  WORK.  DRIVERS REPORT OVERALL  THEIR PAY AND THE PERCENTAGE OF  REVENUE FROM CUSTOMER PAYMENTS  THAT GOES ON TO SEEM TO HAVE  FALLEN DRASTICALLY OVER RECENT  YEARS.  MEANWHILE  MULTIBILLION-DOLLAR COMPANIES  LIKE UBER AND LYFT ARE DOING  THE BARE MINIMUM WHILE POSTING  RECORD PROFITS ON THE BACKS OF  THESE ESSENTIAL WORKERS.  THIS  BILL GIVES ROGER DRIVERS THE  RIGHT IF THEY CHOOSE SO TO  ORGANIZE TO NEGOTIATE AND TO  VOTE ON THE TERMS OF THEIR  WORK.  THESE ARE BASIC RIGHTS  IT'S MODELED IN PART ON EFFORTS  IN OTHER STATES LIKE  MASSACHUSETTS WHERE IT IS  TAILORED WITH THE MINNESOTA  SPECIFIC PROVISION TO ENSURE  FAIRNESS AND ENFORCEABILITY.   THIS BILL MME.  CHAIR CREATES A  FRAMEWORK FOR COLLECTIVE  BARGAINING RIDESHARE DRIVERS  WOULD BE ALLOWED TO FORM OR  JOIN A DRIVER ORGANIZATION AND  PETITION TO BECOME THE  EXCLUSIVE REPRESENTATIVE FOR  COLLECTIVE BARGAINING.  THE  REPRESENTATIVE NEGOTIATES  DIRECTLY WITH THE TNC ON AN  INDUSTRYWIDE BASIS ANY  AGREEMENT MUST BE RATIFIED BY A  MAJORITY OF ACTIVE DRIVERS  THROUGH A STATEWIDE VOTE  ENSURING A TRUE DRIVER  CONSENSUS.  WE HAVE PREPARED A  GROUP OF TESTIFIERS THAT CAN  SPEAK TO WHY COLLECTIVE  BARGAINING IS A NATURAL AND AN  IMPORTANT NEXT STEP FOR  RIDESHARE DRIVERS AS THIS BILL  GIVES THEM A VOICE AND A  DEMOCRATIC PROCESS TO SEEK  JUSTICE DIGNITY AND FAIRNESS IN  THEIR WORK.  MORE ADJUSTMENTS  WILL COME IN THE FUTURE AND  THAT'S A GOOD THING IT REFLECTS  OUR COMMITMENT TO GETTING THIS  RIGHT HOWEVER WE WON'T ALLOW  MISINFORMATION LIKE WE HAVE  SEEN IN THE PAST AND ALLOW  SCARE TACTICS TO DIVIDE OUR  COMMUNITIES AND PIT DRIVERS  AGAINST EACH OTHER GIVING  DRIVERS POWER OVER THEIR  WORKING CONDITIONS DOES NOT  COME AT THE EXPENSE OF THE  COMMUNITIES THAT RELY ON THESE  ESSENTIAL SERVICES MME.  CHAIR,  I LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING TO  HAVE CONVERSATIONS WITH OUR  DRIVERS HOPEFULLY WITH THE TNC  COMPANIES AS I AM SURE EVERYONE  WHO IS PART OF THIS WANTS TO  GET IT RIGHT AND I AM COMMITTED  TO THAT.     THANK YOU VERY MUCH SEN.  WE  WILL GO AHEAD AND MOVE AHEAD TO  OUR TESTIFIERS HOPEFULLY WE  WILL THEN HAVE TIME FOR SOME  CONVERSATION AND QUESTIONS FROM  MEMBERS.  FIRST WE HAVE TRAE  BOLDTHEN FOLLOWED BY DAWITT  KASSA IF YOU WOULD VOTE LIKE TO  COME FORWARD TO THE TABLE THEN  PLEASE INTRODUCE YOURSELF FOR  THE RECORD AND THEN PROCEED  WITH YOUR TESTIMONY THANK YOU.     CHAIR MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE  ON TRADE BOTH THEM I'VE BEEN A  ROGER DRIVER IN MINNESOTA SINCE  2018 I'M ALSO A MENTAL HEALTH  WORKER AND A UNION LEADER AT  FAIRVIEW RIVERSIDE HOSPITAL I'M  HERE TODAY TO SUPPORT SENATE  FILE 3229 BECAUSE DRIVERS LIKE  MEAT DESERVE A VOICE EVERY DAY  I GET BEHIND THE WHEELED NOT  KNOWING WHAT I WILL EARN  BECAUSE RIDESHARE COMPANIES CAN  CHANGE THE RATES THE RULES AND  REMOVE MEAT WITHOUT WARNING AND  WHEN SOMETHING GOES WRONG AND  WE HAVE NO REAL RECOURSE.  ONE  ONE NIGHT IN DOWNTOWN MANKATO I  WAS HIT BY ANOTHER VEHICLE  WHILE MAKING SURE COLLEGE  STUDENTS GOT HOME SAFE AND  RESPONSIBLY AFTER TWO MONTHS OF  TWO MONTHS OF REPAIRS I  EXPECTED TO GET RIGHT BACK TO  WORK BUT LIFT CLAIMS I COULD  NOT DRIVE BECAUSE MY SILVER  HONDA CIVIC HAVE BEEN REPORTED  AND THAT RAISED ISSUES I WAS  TAKEN OFF THE PLATFORM FOR CAR  DAMAGE AND SECOND I HAVE NEVER  OWNED A HONDA CIVIC I HAVE A  TOYOTA CAMRY THAT'S BLACK.  I  TOOK FOUR MONTHS AND EMAILING  20 DIFFERENT REPRESENTATIVES  20 DIFFERENT REPRESENTATIVES  BECAUSE LIFT IS NO DRIVER  SUPPORT LINE BEFORE THE ADMIT  MY ACCOUNT HAD WRONGLY BEEN  ASSOCIATED WITH SOMEONE ELSE'S  ISSUE I LOST FOUR MONTHS OF  FOUR MONTHS OF INCOME AND WHEN  I ASKED ABOUT COMPENSATION THEY  SAID IT WAS THEIR MISTAKE BUT  NOT THEIR RESPONSIBILITY.  THIS  IS WHY WE NEED THE ABILITY TO  ORGANIZE THIS IS NOT A SIDE  HUSTLE FOR MANY OF US THOUSANDS  OF MINNESOTANS DRIVE FULL-TIME  TO SUPPORT THEMSELVES AND THEIR  FAMILIES FOR US THIS IS A  CAREER AND YET WE HAVE NO  PROTECTIONS NO TRANSPARENCY AND  NO WAY TO ADVOCATE FOR  OURSELVES WHEN SOMETHING GOES  WRONG.  AT FAIRVIEW RIVERSIDE  HAVE SEEN WHAT COLLECTIVE  ACTION CAN DO WHEN WE SPEAK  TOGETHER AND WE ARE HEARD.   THIS BILL DOESN'T EMPOWER  DRIVERS AND ALSO FREES THE  LEGISLATURE FROM HAVING TO STEP  IN EVERY FEW YEARS TO MEDIATE  BETWEEN BILLION-DOLLAR  CORPORATIONS AND WORKING  MINNESOTANS.  IT PUTS THE  RESPONSIBILITY WHERE IT BELONGS  IN THE HANDS OF THE DRIVERS I  URGE YOU TO SUPPORT THIS BILL  BECAUSE NO ONE SHOULD WORK  ONE SHOULD WORK FULL-TIME AND  STILL BE POWERLESS THANK YOU  FOR YOUR TIME.     THANK YOU FOR YOUR TESTIMONY.     GOOD MORNING SEN.  AND CHAIR  MCEWEN AND SENATE MEMBERS AND  FELLOW UBER AND LYFT DRIVERS  I'M DAWITT KASSA I'VE LIVED IN  MINNESOTA FOR THE PAST 17 YEARS  17 YEARS IN ST.  PAUL SINCE  COMING TO AMERICA I'VE SPENT  MOST OF MY WORKING LIFE AS AN  UBER AND LYFT DRIVER WITH SOME  TIME SPENT WORKING IN BANKING  AS A RIDESHARE DRIVER I'VE  EXPERIENCED BOTH THE GOOD AND  THE VERY WORST OF WHAT THIS JOB  CAN BRING CHALLENGES THAT MY  FELLOW DRIVERS AND I MANY OF  WHOM COME FROM LOW INCOME  BACKGROUNDS HAVE HAD TO FACE  WITHOUT THE POWER TO CHALLENGE  THE DECISIONS OF BILLION-DOLLAR  CORPORATIONS.  I COME BEFORE  YOU TO SHED LIGHT ON THE REAL  CONDITIONS WE WORK UNDER AND  THE DIFFICULTIES WE FACE EVERY  DAY.  UBER AND LYFT DRIVERS  LIKE MYSELF LIVE WITH CONSTANT  UNCERTAINTY ON OUR ABILITY TO  WORK AND PROVIDE FOR OUR  FAMILIES THAT CAN BE TAKEN AWAY  AT ANY MOMENT WITH LITTLE TO NO  EXPLANATION THAT COMPANIES  WHICH ARE REFERRED TO AS AS  UBER AND LYFT SEEM TO OPERATE  WITH LITTLE ACCOUNTABILITY TO  EVER ANY GOVERNMENT BODY THEY  MAKE DECISIONS ABOUT OUR  LIVELIHOOD UNILATERALLY MANY  DRIVERS HAVE BEEN SUSPENDED OR  DEACTIVATED BASED ON UNVERIFIED  CLAIMS OR FROM A SINGLE WRITER  WHO HAS NO OPPORTUNITY TO  PRESENT OUR SIDE OF OUR HISTORY  THIS CREATES PRESSURE WHICH  ULTIMATELY AFFECTS PUBLIC  SAFETY OUR JOB IS TO TRANSPORT  PEOPLE SAFELY AND I BELIEVE  THAT WHEN THAT IS DONE  RESPONSIBLY IT'S A JOB THAT  DESERVES THE SAME RESPECT AS  OTHER PROFESSIONS DENTED TO  PROTECTING LIVES LIKE DOCTORS.   WE HAVE REPEATEDLY ASKED FOR A  FAIR REVIEW PROCESS WE WANT A  PROFESSIONAL OFFICE WITH  TRAINED STAFF WHO CAN DEAL WITH  INDIVIDUAL CASES AND  COMMUNICATE CLEARLY AND EXPLAIN  WHERE THE DRIVER HAS TRULY  VIOLATED COMMUNITY GUIDELINES  OR POLICIES AND INSTEAD  REFERRED TO PEOPLE WHO HAVE NO  UNDERSTANDING OF OUR WORK.  AND  NO AUTHORITY TO FAIRLY DEAL  WITH OUR ISSUES THIS IS NOT  ONLY UNPROFESSIONAL IT IS  DEEPLY DISRESPECTFUL TO THE  WORKERS THAT HELPS US GENERATE  NORMAN'S PROFITS FOR THESE  COMPANIES AND FOR THIS REASON  AND MANY MORE I COULD NOT  MENTION TODAY DUE TO THE TIME  WE STRONGLY SUPPORT THE  CREATION OF A MINNESOTA UBER  AND LYFT DRIVER UNION SO THE  UNIT WOULD GIVE US TO NEGOTIATE  FAIRLY AND PROTECT OUR RIGHTS  THROUGH PROPER REPRESENTATION  DRIVERS ARE THE BACKBONE OF THE  ECONOMY AND THE SOCIAL FABRIC  OF COMMUNITIES WE SINCERELY ASK  FOR YOUR SUPPORT IN HELPING US  ORGANIZE AND BE HEARD THANK YOU  FOR YOUR TIME AND FOR STANDING  WITH US.     THANK YOU FOR YOUR TESTIMONY.   MR. ABDIKANI ALI ELCOME TO THE  LABOR COMMITTEE THEN AFTER YOU  WE HAVE MR. ABU BAKK ARE.     MME.  CHAIR AND MEMBERS I'M  ABDIKANI ALI THE MINNESOTA I  HAVE BEEN A DRIVER FOR SEVEN  SEVEN YEARS AND I AM HERE TO  SUPPORT THIS BILL TO GIVE US  RIGHTS FOR UNION WITH TO MAKE  CHANGES TO GET HIGHER PAY AND  WE PASSED A LAW LAST YEAR TO  HELP WITH THAT BUT WE ARE STILL  FACING PROBLEMS WE STILL NEED  HIGHER PAY BECAUSE WE DO NOT  MAKE ENOUGH AND RIGHT NOW  SOMETIMES WE HAVE TO WAIT AS  LONG AS 19 DAYS TO GET PAID  THAT COVERS PART OF THE BILL  THAT YOU PASSED IT IS NOT RIGHT  THAT WE DON'T KNOW WHEN OR HOW  MUCH WE ARE GOING TO BE PAID  BUT STILL WE CAN AGREE WE DON'T  WANT TO KEEP COMING TO THE  CAPITAL HERE TO WORK ON THIS  ISSUE IF WE HAD A UNION WE  WOULD BE ABLE TO WORK DIRECTLY  WITH UR EMPLOYERS TO MAKE  THESE CHANGES WE WILL BE ABLE  TO GET FAIR PAY MORE CLEARLY  WHEN WE ARE GETTING PAID.  WE  WILL BE ABLE TO ADDRESS THIS  ISSUE WE ARE STILL FACING  DIVISION AND WE HAVE BETTER USE  OF OUR TIME WILL NOT BE WASTING  YOUR TIME EITHER WE HOPE YOU  ALL SUPPORT THIS BILL SO  DRIVERS CAN HAVE A CHANCE TO BE  ABLE TO FORM A UNION PLEASE  VOTE YES AND PLEASE LISTEN TO  THE DRIVERS SO WE CAN MAKE THIS  CHANGE THAT WILL HELP MAKE  THINGS BETTER FOR OUR DRIVERS  THANK YOU.     THANK YOU FOR YOUR TESTIMONY.   MR. MOHASSAN ABUBAKAR.     GOOD MORNING SENATORS I RESIDE  IN EDINA I CURRENTLY WORK AS A  DRIVER FOR UBER AND LYFT  RECENTLY I GO TO PICK UP FROM  HUBER AND THE CUSTOMER DOES NOT  SHOW UP AFTER WAITING I CALLED  HUBER TO REPORT AND WAS TOLD BY  AN AGENT I SHOULD DISREGARD THE  PICKUP HE INFORMED ME BECAUSE I  HAD A GOOD ECORD HUBER WAS  GOING TO GIVE ME A BONUS HE  PROVIDED ME WITH INFORMATION  FROM MY HUBER ACCOUNT WHICH  HUBER WOULD COPY $149,000 IN  THE PROCESS I INFORMED HUBER  RIGHT AWAY AND WAS TOLD I WAS  COMPED DURING THE INVESTIGATION  COMMUNICATION WITH HUBER WAS  POOR AND MY MONEY WAS FROZEN I  RECEIVED PAYMENT ONLY A FEW  DAYS AGO BECAUSE SEIU ADVOCATED  ON MY BEHALF E NEED A UNION TO  SUPPORT OUR DRIVERS PLEASE VOTE  YES.     THANK YOU FOR SHARING YOUR  EXPERIENCE AND TESTIMONY WITH  US TODAY.  NEXT WE HAVE MISS  JOEL CARLSON FOLLOWED BY BRAD  LEHTO.  IF YOU WANT TO COME  FORWARD.  WELCOME.     GOOD MORNING MME.  CHAIR  MEMBERS JOEL CARLSON I OWN A  LEGAL RESEARCH AND GOVERNMENT  AFFAIRS HERE IN ST.  PAUL I  REPRESENT HUBER TECHNOLOGY AND  HAVE SINCE THEY ENTER THE  MARKET IN 2012.  I'M HAPPY TO  BE BEFORE YOU TODAY I WANT TO  PROVIDE SOME BRIEF COMMENTS  ABOUT THE LAW THAT YOU  IMPLEMENTED LAST SESSION AND  ALSO SOME CONCEPTUAL COMMENTS  ON THE BILL WHICH HUBER HASN'T  FORMALLY TAKEN A POSITION ON  THE BILL BUT WE HAVE SOME  COMMENTS ABOUT THE BILL MME.   CHAIR.  THE LAW YOU PASSED LAST  YEAR REQUIRED MINIMUM  COMPENSATION OCCUPATIONAL  ACCIDENT INSURANCE AND DRIVER  APPEALS FOR DEACTIVATION'S HAS  BEEN IN PLACE NOW ABOUT FIVE  FIVE MONTHS THAT LAW INCLUDES  THE HIGHEST PER MINUTE AND PER  MILE RATES AND INSURANCE  COMPONENTS ANYWHERE IN THE  COUNTRY WE CONTRACTED WITH THE  SOMALI COMMUNITY SERVICES FOR  THE DRIVER RESOURCE CENTER AND  THAT IS BEEN IN PLACE ABOUT  FOUR MONTHS NOW TO HANDLE THE  KINDS OF ISSUES THAT YOU HEAR  ABOUT AND WE THINK THAT'S RIGHT  AND APPROPRIATE THAT THERE IS A  RESOURCE CENTER FOR DRIVERS  WHEN THEY HAVE PROBLEMS  UPLOADING DOCUMENTS AND HAVE  TROUBLE WITH PAY WE HAD  SIGNIFICANT ISSUES WITH DRIVER  AND THEIR ACCOUNTS BE  FRAUDULENTLY CAPTURED BY OTHERS  SO WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT A FREEZE  ON AN ACCOUNT OFTENTIMES THAT'S  TO PROTECT THE DRIVER NOT TO  WITHHOLD COMPENSATION FOR THEM  SO THOSE ARE ISSUES I THINK  DRIVER RESOURCE CENTER AS IT  GETS MORE FULLY DEVELOPED ARE  GOING TO HAPPEN AND ARE GOING  TO BE HANDLED AND LASTLY WE  SPENT A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF  TIME ALMOST TWO YEARS WORKING  TO GET THE BILL THAT WE HAD  SPECIFICALLY TO ADDRESS THE  KINDS OF ISSUES THAT YOU HEAR  ABOUT AND THAT WAS DONE AFTER  AN EXTENSIVE TASK FORCE THAT  MOST COMPREHENSIVE WAGE STUDY  ON THE GLOBE WHICH FOUND THAT  TWIN CITY DRIVERS EARN $52.94  AN HOUR WHEN THEY HAVE A  PASSENGER IN THE CAR AND THAT  WAS DONE WITH THE INPUT FROM  DRIVERS THE SEIU AND THE TNCS  AND WE THOUGHT AND WE HOPE THAT  THOSE CHANGES THAT WERE MADE IN  2024 WILL ADDRESS THE KINDS OF  CONCERNS I WANT TO BRIEFLY MME.   CHAIR TALK ABOUT A COUPLE OF  CONCEPTS IN THE BILL.  NUMBER  NUMBER 1 IS THE THRESHOLD WHICH  IS EXCEEDINGLY LOW YOU NEED TO  UNDERSTAND IF THIS WERE TO BE  AND LAMENTED YOU WOULD HAVE  POTENTIALLY 10% OF THE ACTIVE  DRIVERS MAKING THE DECISION FOR  TENS OF THOUSANDS OF OTHER  PEOPLE THAT WORK ON THE  PLATFORM WE THINK THAT IS  SOMETHING THAT NEEDS TO BE  ADDRESSED SO YOU DON'T HAVE A  SITUATION WHERE A VERY TINY  MINORITY OF DRIVERS SETS THE  CONDITIONS FOR ALL OF THE  PEOPLE LESS THAN 60% OF DRIVERS  ON THESE PLATFORMS WORK LESS  THAN 20 HOURS A WEEK IT IS A  PART-TIME SUPPLEMENT TO THEIR  OTHER INCOME OR A PART-TIME JOB  IN THEIR RETIREMENT WE NEED TO  RECOGNIZE THAT.  HUBER IS NOT  THE ONLY SECTOR WHERE WHERE  INDEPENDENT CONTRACTORS WORK IF  WE HAVE A DISCUSSION WHETHER WE  WANT THE INDEPENDENT WORK OR  NOT THAT'S A LEGITIMATE  QUESTION I ATTENDED EVERY  SINGLE ONE OF THE ATTY.  GEN.'S  MEETINGS VIRTUALLY OR IN PERSON  ON THIS MISCLASSIFICATION THERE  ARE TERRIBLE THINGS THAT ARE  HAPPENING WITH MISS  CLASSIFICATIONS OF WORKERS AND  WAGE THEFT WE DON'T SUPPORT  THAT, AND THAT'S NOT REALLY  WHAT WE ARE DEALING WITH HERE  WE ARE TALKING ABOUT PEOPLE WHO  VOLUNTARILY SIGN UP TO DO THIS  WORK AND HOW DO WE ADDRESS TH  THAT.  IT IS A BROADER  CONVERSATION THERE ARE MULTIPLE  SECTORS THAT DO THIS WORK I  DON'T THINK THE TARGET  NECESSARILY NEEDS TO BE JUST AN  TNCS I THINK IF YOU WANT TO  HAVE A CONVERSATION ABOUT HOW  PEOPLE ARE EARNING RIGHT NOW ON  DIFFERENT PLATFORMS AND  DIFFERENT WORK I REPRESENT  COURT REPORTERS THAT ARE  INDEPENDENT HOW DOES THAT  OPERATE?  THAT'S A LEGITIMATE  CONVERSATION BUT SIMPLY SAYING  WE ARE GOING TO TAKE THIS ONE  ONE SECTOR AND WE WILL ALLOW  THEM TO HAVE FULL EMPLOYEE  BENEFITS WHILE BEING  INDEPENDENT WE THINK IS  MISGUIDED WE SHOULD HAVE THAT  BROADER CONVERSATION MME.   CHAIR IF THAT'S THE PATH WE ARE  GOING TO GO DOWN THANK YOU MME.   CHAIR I MAY HAVE GONE A LITTLE  OVER MY THREE MINUTES BUT I  APPRECIATE THE TIME.     THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR  TESTIMONY.  MR. LEHTO.     THANK YOU MME.  CHAIR AND  COMMITTEE MEMBERS I AM BRAD  LEHTO I AM SECRETARY TREASURER  OF THE MINNESOTA AFL-CIO STATE  FEDERATION OF MORE THAN 000  1,000 UNIONS REPRESENTING  300,000 WORKING PEOPLE IN EVERY  CORNER OF THE STATE IN EVERY  OCCUPATION AND IN EVERY JOB.   THE MINNESOTA AFL-CIO OH  SUPPORT SENATE FILE 3229 AS  BILLIONAIRES TAKE MORE AND MORE  POWER IN THE COUNTRY WORKING  PEOPLE EVERYWHERE COMING TO THE  SAME CONCLUSION THAT THESE  ROGER DRIVERS ARE BETTER OFF IN  A UNION.  THE CORPORATIONS MAKE  THEIR PROFITS OF UNDERPAID  DRIVERS MANY OF WHOM ARE  IMMIGRANTS AND PEOPLE OF COLOR  AND BY THE WAY NOT GETTING PAID  REGULARLY WHICH I THINK  MR. CARLSON ADMITS THAT'S BEEN  A PROBLEM.  EVEN WITH THE BILL  LAST YEAR THEY ARE USING THE  SAME PLAYBOOK DIVIDING WORKERS  AND MISLEADING THE PUBLIC AND  NOT PROVIDING A CONNOLLY  DRIVERS ARE DEMONSTRATING THE  NEEDS DELETE TO SOLIDARITY AND  ACTION AND A CLEARED EVENT PUT  POWER IN THE HANDS OF WORKERS  AND NOT CORPORATIONS TODAY IS  MAY DAY DATE WHEN WE HONOR  WORKERS AND ACHIEVEMENTS OF THE  WORKING CLASS AND LABOR  MOVEMENT.  MANY OF WHOM ARE  BEING TARGETED BY THE FEDERAL  GOVERNMENT RIGHT NOW.  WE SAW  IN THESE LAST FEW YEARS RIGHT  SURE DRIVERS ORGANIZED TO WIN  IMPROVEMENTS AS WAS MENTIONED  WITH PAY AND BENEFITS BUT WE  KNOW THE BEST SOLUTION TO  WINNING PHARAOH JOBS IS HAVING  A UNION SUPPORT TO NEGOTIATE  WITH THESE COMPANIES AND SIGNED  CONTRACTS.  WE ARE PROUD TO BE  HERE TODAY IN SUPPORT OF SENATE  FILE 3229 TO MAKE CLEAR THAT  RIDESHARE DRIVERS HAVE THE SAME  RIGHT THAT MOST PERSONS HAVE TO  CHOOSE WHETHER TO FORM A UNION  RIDESHARE DRIVERS WORK AT  GETTING MINNESOTANS SAFELY TO  AND FROM DESTINATIONS WHICH YOU  HAVE HEARD AND THEY DESERVE  BETTER THAN YOU CURRENTLY SEE  THEM FACING MINNESOTA'S LABOR  MOVEMENT IS PROUD TO STAND WITH  THESE WORKERS BECAUSE WE  BELIEVE THAT EVERY WORKER  SHOULD HAVE A RIGHT TO A UNION  AND WE ARE EXCITED THIS BILL  WOULD GIVEN THAT RIGHT AND THE  MINNESOTA AFL-CIO SUPPORTS  SENATE FILE 3229 THANK YOU.     THANK YOU FOR YOUR TESTIMONY.   SEN.  MOHAMED AS WE MOVE TO  SOME DISCUSSION AND WE HAVE ONE  ONE MINUTE WOULD YOU LIKE TO  SHARE SOME FINAL THOUGHTS AFTER  THE TESTIMONY?     INC.  YOU MME.  CHAIR THANK  YOU TO THE DRIVERS WHO HAVE  BEEN CONSISTENTLY COMING OUT  OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS I THINK  THE BILL WE WORKED OUT LAST  SESSION IS A BAND-AID I THINK  IT'S A FIX FOR A SHORT AMOUNT  OF TIME I THINK AS FOLKS HAVE  SAID OVER THE COURSE OF OUR  TIMES AS WE WORK IN THIS  INSTITUTION EVERY WORK IN OUR  STATE HAS A RIGHT TO FORM A  UNION AND I THINK THIS GIVES  THE OPPORTUNITY FOR THE  LEGISLATURE TO PASS THIS SO  THESE FOLKS DON'T HAVE TO COME  BACK EVERY TIME WE HAVE TO  REGULATE THE INDUSTRY WE DON'T  WANT TO DO THAT WE WANT TO GIVE  THEM THE RIGHT FOR THEM TO BE  ABLE TO NEGOTIATE AT THE TABLE  FAIRLY.  THANK YOU.     THANK YOU VERY MUCH SEN.   MOHAMED.  MEMBERS ANY COMMENTS  OR DISCUSSION BEFORE WE HAVE TO  ADJOURN SEN.  OUMOU VERBETEN.     THANK YOU MME.  CHAIR THANK  YOU SEN.  MOHAMED FOR BRINGING  FORTH THE BILL I WAS HAPPY TO  CO-AUTHOR AND I AM GLAD  MR. LEHTO SHARED THAT TODAY IS  MAY DAY DAY THAT WE CELEBRATE  WORKERS SO IT'S FITTING TO HEAR  THIS BILL.  THE 1ST COMMENT I  WANTED TO MAKE IS I UNDERSTAND  WE ARE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW  TO REALLY SUPPORT THESE DRIVERS  IN ADVOCATING FOR THEMSELVES I  THINK AN ISSUE THAT WE SEE WITH  THE TNC APPS IS THAT UNLIKE A  LOT OF OTHER INDEPENDENT  CONTRACTORS THEY ARE NOT REALLY  EMPOWERED TO NEGOTIATE THEIR  OWN CONTRACTS.  YOU'RE SETTING  UP A SYSTEM WHERE FOLKS ARE  TRULY SEEN AS THEIR OWN KIND OF  BUSINESS OWNER AND INDEPENDENT  CONTRACTOR USUALLY IS A LITTLE  BIT MORE NEGOTIATION THERE WITH  THE PERSON YOU ARE GOING TO  WORK WITH SO I THINK THIS IS A  FAIR WAY TO TRY TO APPROACH  THAT SO THERE IS SOMEWHAT OF A  LEVELING OF THE PLAYING FIELD  THAT WE DO TO TYPICALLY SEE  BETWEEN INDEPENDENT CONTRACTORS  AND NEGOTIATING WHETHER OR NOT  TO DO BUSINESS WITH ANOTHER  BUSINESS.  I ALSO THINK IT'S  REALLY COMPELLING TO SAY I'M  VERY PROUD F THE WORKERS FOR  ADVOCATING SO HARD TO GET THIS  PAY AND BENEFITS AND THOSE  MINIMUM PROTECTIONS THAT WE SAW  IN THE LEGISLATION LAST YEAR  BUT TO RELY ON THE LEGISLATURE  EVERY TIME I THINK HAT'S GOING  TO CAUSE A NUMBER OF ISSUES SO  I REALLY DO SUPPORT FOLKS BEING  ABLE TO COLLECTIVELY COME  TOGETHER AND NEGOTIATE THEIR  CONTRACTS.     THANK YOU SEN.  ANY FURTHER  COMMENTS ANYTHING TO SHIP SEN.   DORNINK.     THANK YOU MANAGER ESTILL  ADJOURNING I WOULD LOVE TO TALK  TO MORE AND GET MORE DETAILS  FOR THE TESTIFIERS WHO CAME AND  I'VE HAD A COUPLE OF  CONVERSATIONS AND THANK YOU FOR  THAT.  IF YOU DON'T HAVE TIME  FOR QUESTIONS BUT LATER I WILL  THANK YOU MME.  CHAIR.     THANK YOU SEN.  DORNINK I WILL  DEFINITELY COME AROUND AND SIT  DOWN WITH YOU AND WALK YOU  THROUGH THE BILL SENT  MR. CARLSON SAID ONE THING I  ONE THING I THINK IT SUPPORT TO  POINT OUT WHAT HE IS DOING IT'S  HIS JOB AND HIS JOB IS TO  PROTECT THE INDUSTRY IN OUR JOB  IS TO PROTECT OUR CONSTITUENTS  IN THE INDUSTRY DOES NOT EXIST  WITHOUT THE FOLKS WHO WORK  WITHIN IT SO THAT'S OUR JOB AND  ALTHOUGH WE HAVE PROBABLY SOME  DISAGREEMENTS I LOOK FORWARD TO  HAVING A CONVERSATION WITH HIM  AND YOU SEN.  DORNINK AND  HOPEFULLY WE GET THIS DONE WE  DON'T HAVE TO HAVE THIS  CONVERSATION AGAIN THANK YOU.     THANK YOU SEN.  IN CLOSING I  WOULD ALSO AGAIN WANT TO THANK  ALL OF THE WORKERS WHO TOOK  TIME YOUR VALUABLE TIME FROM  YOUR DAY AND YOUR WORK AND YOUR  FAMILIES TO COME HERE AND SHARE  EXPERIENCES WITH US AND TO COME  TOGETHER WITH YOUR COWORKERS IN  SOLIDARITY LIKE THIS IS VERY  POWERFUL FOR US TO BE ABLE TO  HEAR FROM YOU LIKE THIS WHAT  YOU ARE LOOKING TO DO AND WHAT  YOU ARE ASKING FOR THROUGH THIS  BILL AS SEN.  MOHAMED SAID SO  WELL IS A REALLY BASIC RIGHT  IT'S A WORKERS WRITE A HUMAN  RIGHT TO BE ABLE TO COME  TOGETHER AND TO BARGAIN  COLLECTIVELY TOGETHER AND WHEN  YOU DO THAT YOU HAVE MORE POWER  WHEN YOU COME TOGETHER.  AS WE  KNOW MANY WORKERS THROUGHOUT  OUR COMMUNITY ENJOY THE  BENEFITS OF BEING IN A UNION  AND HAVING THAT UNION BACKING  AND ADVOCACY IN THEIR WORK AND  YOU SHOULD HAVE THAT TOO.  I AM  REALLY EXCITED THIS BILL IS  VERY PLEASED TO BE ABLE TO GET  THAT BAND-AID ACROSS THE LINE  LAST YEAR IN THE FORM OF THE  BILL THAT MOVED AND I'M PROUD  OF THAT WORK AS WELL BUT THIS  IS LOOKING AT LONGER-TERM  SOLUTIONS TO PUT THE POWER IN  YOUR HANDS TO BE ABLE TO  NEGOTIATE GOING FORWARD THANKS  VERY MUCH FOR BRINGING THIS  BILL I LOOK FORWARD TO THE WORK  AS GOES FORWARD THANKS  EVERYONE.  WITH THAT THE SENATE  LABOR COMMITTEE IS ADJOURNED."}]