Boston Council Adopts Resolution Against Gig-Worker Ballot Initiative, Advances Military Voting Petition

BOSTON -- May 25, 2022, Boston City Council unanimously opposes proposed gig-worker ballot measure, advances military voting petition. The council adopted a resolution Wednesday urging the Massachusetts Legislature to reject House Bill 1234 and a 2022 state ballot initiative backed by Uber, Lyft, and DoorDash that critics say would allow companies to pay app-based drivers as little as $4.82 to $6.35 an hour while stripping them of unemployment insurance, workers' compensation, and civil rights protections. Councilor Kenzie Lara, who introduced the resolution alongside Councilor Ricardo Arroyo, said the measure "would create a permanent underclass of underpaid workers" and noted that big tech spent $224 million on a similar California measure. The council also referred to committee a home rule petition co-sponsored by Council President Edward M. Flynn and Councilor Erin J. Murphy that would allow absent military service members to apply for and return municipal absentee ballots electronically. Separately, the council confirmed four Boston Public Health Commission Board of Health appointments and approved three Age Strong Commission grants totaling approximately $1.48 million, including $1,056,840 in state Council on Aging formula funds to serve 88,070 older Boston residents.