Assemblymember Marc Berman announced in a press release that Assembly Bill 1340 (AB 1340) grants rideshare drivers a formal role in shaping the gig economy by giving them a voice in industry decisions and protecting both drivers and consumers through collective representation.
“This is a huge deal for hundreds of thousands of California workers and millions of California consumers,” said Berman, Assemblymember (D‑Menlo Park). “Rideshare drivers are the backbone of the gig economy, and AB 1340 rightfully provides these drivers with a role in deciding the future of an industry for which they are taking on the risk, getting on the road, and working long hours. With the strength of a union, workers can build a fair and sustainable gig economy that works for everyone.”
Assembly Bill 1340, jointly authored by Assemblymembers Buffy Wicks and Marc Berman, was unveiled on August 29, 2025. The announcement featured Governor Gavin Newsom, Senate Pro Tem Mike McGuire, and Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas. The legislation aims to address affordability and labor rights by allowing rideshare drivers to collectively bargain while maintaining their classification as independent contractors. According to KQED, the bill is part of a broader conversation about improving working conditions in the gig economy and is seen as a pivotal compromise between labor groups and rideshare platforms like Uber and Lyft.
According to CalMatters’ Digital Democracy Tracker, AB 1340 explicitly grants rideshare drivers the right to form, join, and participate in driver organizations for collective bargaining purposes. Participation is entirely voluntary, ensuring that drivers may opt out without penalty. The bill establishes a regulatory framework overseen by the California Public Employment Relations Board (PERB), which will supervise elections, enforce bargaining rights, and mediate disputes—marking a substantial shift in the rights afforded to gig economy workers.
Beginning January 1, 2026, AB 1340 will require transportation network companies like Uber and Lyft to provide quarterly data on active drivers to PERB. This information will be used to validate support for union representation, facilitate election procedures, and enable good-faith negotiations. As reported by CalMatters, the bill also establishes a process for mediation and binding arbitration if collective bargaining efforts reach an impasse—offering enforcement tools not included in previous gig worker legislation such as Proposition 22.
According to a report by the San Francisco Chronicle, AB 1340 is the result of a negotiated agreement between state lawmakers, labor unions, and rideshare companies including Uber and Lyft. The bill is sponsored by SEIU California—a labor organization representing over 750,000 workers across the state—and has received rare public endorsement from major gig platforms. The Chronicle notes that this legislation is being hailed as a “historic” compromise because it allows drivers to unionize while preserving their status as independent contractors—a key issue in previous legal and legislative battles over gig work.
Berman was born on October 31, 1980, in Dallas, Texas but raised in Palo Alto, California—a background that shaped his early public service career. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from Georgetown University in 2002 before graduating with a Juris Doctor from the University of Southern California’s Gould School of Law.
