//Uber bought itself a law. Here's why that's dangerous for struggling drivers like me | Cherri Murphy

Uber bought itself a law. Here's why that's dangerous for struggling drivers like me | Cherri Murphy

Last week, Uber bought itself a law.

Along with Lyft, Instacart, DoorDash and Postmates, app companies spent more than $200m – the most spent on any ballot campaign in US history – to bankroll Proposition 22 in California. With its passage, the law will now exempt drivers like me from basic protections afforded to most other workers in the state.

And in the aftermath of their bought-and-paid-for victory, these companies are promising to roll out this model nationwide, foretelling a grim future for gig workers across the US.

But let’s be absolutely clear: Prop 22 is a dangerous law. Voters in California, inundated with ads promising drivers a “living wage”, flexibility and greater benefits, believed they were ensuring