TRENTON — Ahead of International Workers’ Day, rideshare drivers from across New Jersey will gather at the Statehouse on Wednesday, April 30, to rally for stronger labor protections, including fair pay and the right to unionize.
Organized by the Independent Drivers Guild (IDG), the noon rally and press conference at the Statehouse Annex (145 West State Street) is expected to draw Uber, Lyft, and black car drivers from across the Garden State. Drivers will begin gathering at 11 a.m., and all rideshare drivers are welcome to attend.
The event coincides with May Day, also known as International Workers’ Day, which commemorates historic labor struggles and victories around the world. Organizers say New Jersey’s for-hire vehicle drivers are long overdue for similar protections—such as collective bargaining rights, minimum pay after expenses, and basic workplace safety policies—that many other workers take for granted.
“For too long, rideshare drivers have been denied the rights and workplace protections they deserve,” said a spokesperson for the IDG in a statement shared with Pascack Press. “We’re calling on lawmakers to stand with us and take action.”
The Independent Drivers Guild is the largest rideshare driver organization in the U.S. and an affiliate of the Machinists Union (AFL–CIO). Representing over 300,000 drivers across New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Illinois, and Florida, the Guild has operated a New Jersey office in Edison since expanding into the state.
May Day rallies involving rideshare drivers are also planned in other states, including New York.
For more information, visit driversguild.org.