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Politics and Government News
Jon Collins

Minneapolis council fails to override mayor’s veto of proposal to boost rideshare driver pay

Gary Heyer sets his Waze navigation app before driving in Minneapolis
The ordinance would have required companies like Uber and Lyft to pay drivers at higher rates, more than doubling the pay rate
Caroline Yang | MPR News 2018

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The Minneapolis City Council failed Thursday to override a veto by Mayor Jacob Frey of an ordinance that would have required higher pay and better protections for rideshare drivers in the city.

The council needed nine votes to override the mayor’s veto — however the effort ultimately fell short by four votes.

The ordinance would have required companies like Uber and Lyft to pay drivers at higher rates, more than doubling the pay rate. It also would have created a city-funded drivers’ center, created a process for drivers to appeal their deactivations by the services and banned the use of gift cards for rides, which drivers said are used to commit crimes against them. 

The ordinance was strongly opposed by rideshare companies, who threatened to cut services in the city if it passed.

The ordinance passed the council 7-5 last month, but Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey vetoed it, saying he shared the council’s concerns about drivers’ pay and working conditions, but that the ordinance needed more work. He’d previously criticized the gift card ban, the appeals process and city funding of a drivers’ center.

Council Member Andrew Johnson said he and Council Member Jamal Osman plan to meet with the mayor’s office next week to try to find a compromise that can still pass this year. 

“Pretty much everyone recognizes there’s a problem here, and that work needs to be done and that the council needs to take action,” Johnson said. “This matter isn’t settled, there’s going to be continuing work on this.”

Council Members Jamal Osman, Aisha Chughtai, Andrea Jenkins and Jason Chavez voted to override the veto. Council Members Emily Koski, Michael Rainville, Andrew Johnson and Linea Palmisano voted against the override. Council Members Lisa Goodman, Robin Wonsley, Jeremiah Ellsion and Elliott Payne were absent. Payne later entered a vote supporting the override. 

Similar legislation was passed by both chambers of the State Legislature but vetoed by Gov. Tim Walz, who established a working group to recommend policy changes for rideshare drivers by January.