B.C. labour board certifies Victoria Uber drivers’ union, a first in Canada, says UFCW

The Uber app is seen on an iPhone near a driver's vehicle after the company launched service, in Vancouver, Friday, Jan. 24, 2020.

Uber drivers in B.C.’s capital have successfully unionized, achieving “the first union certification of its kind for Uber drivers in Canada,” according to UFCW Canada.

The union announced the “landmark victory” in a statement Wednesday, saying the B.C. Labour Relations Board had officially certified the drivers’ union under the UFCW Canada umbrella.

UFCW stands for “United Food and Commercial Workers.” In Canada, the union claims more than 1.3 million members.

Victoria Uber drivers will now be part of UFCW Local 1518, which touts itself as British Columbia’s largest private sector union.

“This breakthrough signals the start of a new chapter, with Victoria leading the way as the first Canadian city where gig workers have successfully unionized to demand better protections and rights,” UFCW Canada said in its statement.

According to the union, drivers campaigned for unionization to secure “core workplace protections,” including “improved health and safety measures, transparency in the app’s rating system and fair processes for account deactivations.”

UFCW Canada national president Shawn Haggerty called the successful campaign “a defining moment for the labour movement in Canada.”

“The certification of Uber drivers in Victoria shows that workers in every sector—even in the platform economy—can organize and win," Haggerty said, in the statement.

“These drivers are setting a national precedent, and UFCW Canada is committed to supporting them every step of the way as they work toward a strong, fair first agreement.”

For its part, Uber stressed that there would be “no change” for drivers or passengers using the app in Victoria, highlighting that – though they are now automatically members of the union – drivers retain the ability to drive as much or as little as they want.

“Ninety-four per cent of drivers say that driving with Uber provides them with the scheduling flexibility they cannot get from a traditional job,” said Laura Miller, director of public policy for Uber Canada, in a statement.

“With the recent modernization of B.C. labour laws, which now protect that flexibility, drivers as online platform workers can determine whether they want union representation. We will be sitting down with UFCW 1518 to discuss the issues raised by drivers.”

Uber has only been operational in Victoria since 2023, when it received approval from the provincial Passenger Transportation Board to take over another company’s licence.

The ride-hailing app launched province-wide service earlier this year, five years after its Metro Vancouver debut in early 2020. That launch followed years of debate around legalizing ride-hailing services in B.C.

In its statement, UFCW Canada touted its role in consulting with the B.C. government to develop laws and regulations to support so-called “platform workers.”

The union has also been working with Uber since signing a national agreement with the company in 2022. UFCW Canada says it has filed more than 4,000 cases on behalf of drivers since the agreement took effect.

“Victoria’s Uber drivers have opened the door for app-based workers in British Columbia,” said UFCW Canada Local 1518 president Patrick Johnson, in the statement.

“We’re committed to having their back as they negotiate an agreement that honors their historic achievement and sets a new standard for fairness and respect in the digital economy.”