100,000+ Illinois Rideshare Drivers Win Historic Right to Join the App Drivers Union as Governor Pritzker Signs Landmark Legislation
The law creates a pathway for 100,000+ rideshare drivers to form a union and bargain collectively with the App Drivers Union, building on recent rideshare organizing victories in Massachusetts and California.
CHICAGO, IL – In a historic victory for working people and the future of the labor movement, Governor JB Pritzker has signed the Illinois Transportation Network Driver Labor Relations Act (HB 5090), also known as the Rideshare Drivers' Union Bill, into law, making Illinois a national leader in expanding bargaining rights for rideshare drivers. The new law grants more than 100,000 rideshare drivers across Illinois the right to organize, form a union, and collectively bargain for better pay, stronger protections, and a real voice on the job.
Governor Pritzker's signature marks the culmination of a years-long organizing campaign led by rideshare drivers through the App Drivers Union, powered by SEIU Local 1 and the IAM Union, alongside elected officials, labor leaders, and community allies. The legislation represents one of the most significant expansions of collective bargaining rights in Illinois in recent years and builds on similar victories in Massachusetts and California. Together, these efforts are fueling a growing national movement to ensure app-based drivers have the same right to organize and bargain collectively as workers across every other industry.
For the past year, rideshare drivers with the App Drivers Union organized relentlessly to make this victory possible. Drivers traveled thousands of miles to Springfield, week after week, meeting with legislators, sharing their stories, testifying in committee hearings, rallying at the Capitol, and mobilizing fellow drivers to demand the fundamental right to form a union. Their determination and persistence transformed a long-shot idea into historic legislation, proving that when working people organize together, they can take on even the largest corporations and win. This victory doesn't just change the future for Illinois drivers; it strengthens the growing movement for app-based workers across the country.
With the law now in effect, drivers will begin collecting union authorization cards as the first step toward officially forming the App Drivers Union. Once enough drivers sign cards, they can move toward union recognition and begin negotiating over wages, safety, benefits, transparency, and job protections. This landmark legislation was championed by State Senator Ram Villivalam and State Representative Yolonda Morris, whose leadership helped make this historic victory possible.
The Rideshare Drivers’ Union Bill establishes industry-wide sectoral bargaining standards, ensuring that drivers and companies negotiate over the core issues that define pay, safety, and working conditions across the industry, including:
Compensation
Benefits
Insurance coverage for occupational accidents or injuries
Compensation or supplemental insurance for job loss
Paid leave
Appeals process for deactivations
Representation of TNC drivers in deactivation appeals
Information disclosed to TNC drivers about trips on a per-trip basis
Grievance and arbitration procedures to resolve disputes arising under the sectoral agreement
Safety mandates
Labor-Management Committees
And more.
“Today, Illinois is showing the nation that the future of work must include the fundamental right to organize,” said State Senator and Chief Sponsor Ram Villivalam (D-Chicago). “For far too long, outdated labor laws failed to keep pace with the modern economy, leaving rideshare drivers without basic rights and protections on the job. It was long past time to correct that injustice. I was proud to stand alongside drivers from every corner of Illinois and sponsor the Rideshare Drivers’ Union Bill in the Senate because drivers deserved a real voice in shaping the future of their industry. Today, Illinois made history, and a new era of worker power has begun.”
“Every day, people use rideshare apps to get to work, school, appointments, and everything in between. And drivers work tirelessly to safely deliver passengers to their destinations. This legislation protects drivers, allowing them to unionize and make their voices heard, as well as hold rideshare companies accountable if an incident does occur,” said State Representative Yolonda Morris (IL-09). “I’m proud to have passed this bill, and even more so to see it signed into law. I continue to stand with the Illinois Drivers Alliance to ensure employees are treated fairly across the state.”
“This law is a major victory for working people across Illinois,” said Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias. “Rideshare drivers deserve the same opportunity as other workers to come together, make their voices heard and advocate for fair wages, safer working conditions and greater accountability. This is an important step toward ensuring the modern workforce is treated with fairness and respect and that innovation does not come at the expense of workers’ rights.”
“Governor Pritzker's signature marks a turning point not just for rideshare drivers, but for the future of work in Illinois. For too long, the companies behind this industry have dictated every aspect of drivers' livelihoods, while drivers have had no meaningful voice in the decisions that affect them. That changes today as more than 100,000 rideshare drivers now have the right to join the App Drivers Union and collectively bargain for better,” said Genie Kastrup, App Drivers Union Leader. “This law doesn't just give drivers a seat at the table – it shifts power to the workers who make this industry possible. It sends a clear message that no corporation is too big, no business model is beyond accountability, and no industry is beyond the reach of a union when working people stand together. Illinois rideshare drivers have changed what's possible, proving that when workers organize, they can transform an entire industry and inspire working people everywhere to demand the dignity and voice they deserve."
"Today belongs to the more than 100,000 rideshare drivers across Illinois who refused to accept a system that gave them all the risk and responsibility but none of the respect or voice on the job. By signing this bill into law, Governor Pritzker has given drivers the freedom to come together and have a voice in decisions about the pay, protections, and dignity they deserve,” said Ronnie Gonzalez, App Drivers Union Leader. “This victory was built by drivers who organized, spoke out, spoke with their legislators, and never gave up – we're proud to be a part of that. Now the real work begins as drivers build their union and negotiate a safer and stronger future for themselves and their families.”
“One of the hardest parts about being a rideshare driver is how isolating this job can feel,” said Tracy Shaw, an Illinois rideshare driver from West Rogers Park. “We work alone in our cars, without coworkers or a real support system, and when your pay drops or you get deactivated without explanation, you start to wonder if you’re the only one struggling. Through the App Drivers Union, drivers realized we are not alone; we are stronger together. After I got in a car accident on the job, it was this driver community that carried me through. They checked on me, lifted me up, and reminded me that I wasn’t alone, because for so many drivers, this community has become family. This fight was about standing up for ourselves and for each other, and together, we won. Now, we are ready to form a union and build an even stronger community that unites drivers from every corner of Illinois.”
“I have been driving rideshare all the way back to when Uber first came to Illinois more than a decade ago,” said Juan Flores, a rideshare driver from Joliet. “At one time, this job gave me the ability to support my family and even help put my daughter through college. I was proud of the life I could build through hard work. But over the years, the pay kept shrinking while the costs of gas, insurance, and car repairs only went up. In the past few years, after everything I have given to this job, my own kids have been helping me pay the bills just so we can get by. That changes today because we can now form a union and bargain for wages that keep up with rising costs and allow us to live a full life! I am so proud of my fellow drivers and thankful to Senator Villivalam, Representative Morris, and Governor JB Pritzker for standing with drivers!”
About App Drivers Union:
The App Drivers Union is the first union for rideshare drivers in Illinois. Formerly known as the Illinois Drivers Alliance, we rebranded following the historic passage of legislation granting more than 100,000 Illinois rideshare drivers the right to form a union and bargain collectively. As part of that milestone, we joined our union siblings in Massachusetts under one unified name: App Drivers Union.
The App Drivers Union is a partnership between SEIU Local 1 and the IAM Union, uniting app-based drivers to build power and win better pay, stronger protections, and a real voice in shaping the future of the industry.