Drivers now have access to face-to-face representation supported by a legally enforceable collective agreement
Uber drivers in Victoria, B.C. have ratified their first union contract.
More than 1,000 drivers – members of United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Canada Local 1518 – are now covered under the agreement. The union said the deal will provide greater regulation, representation and protection for platform-based workers in the Victoria market.
[Please note the original version of this story stated this was the first collective agreement of its kind for app-based drivers in Canada, according to the UFCW. However, media speicalist Sian Griffiths of the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) says the CUPW was the first union to organize and represent gig workers when Foodora couriers won the right to be represented in August 2019.]
“This agreement is irrefutable proof that when workers unite to work together in solidarity with a common goal, great results can be achieved,” said Gilberto Talero Almanza, Uber driver and bargaining committee member. “This contract enables all Uber drivers in Victoria to continue to contribute to society while ensuring they have respect and dignity at work.”
Victoria Uber drivers joined UFCW 1518 in July 2025, making Victoria the first Canadian city where app-based workers successfully unionised to secure collective representation.
Following that union drive, UFCW 1518 and Uber Canada entered into negotiations that culminated in the ratification of the first collective agreement for these drivers. The contract formalises the relationship between the drivers, the union and the platform.
Under the agreement, drivers gain access to face-to-face representation supported by a legally enforceable collective agreement, bringing elements of a traditional industrial relations framework into the platform-work context.
In 2024, British Columbia’s regulations meant to provide fairness, minimum-wage measures and basic protections for app-based ride-hailing and delivery workers took effect. Under Bill 148, employers must pay these gig workers a minimum wage of $20.88 per hour for engaged time.
Key terms of Victoria contract
According to UFCW Canada, the Victoria agreement includes signing and quarterly bonuses for drivers, as well as annual fee increases. The deal also establishes a wellness fund that can be used for sick time or extended benefits.
The union says the contract improves health and safety provisions for drivers operating on the Uber platform in Victoria. These measures are intended to strengthen protections for workers in what has historically been a lightly regulated segment of the labour market.
The dispute resolution process has been formalised with mandated time limits. Drivers will be able to challenge issues related to pay, suspension, ratings and deactivations through a defined mechanism set out in the collective agreement.
Fellow bargaining committee member Amninder Singh said the contract delivers concrete gains for drivers after more than a year of organising and negotiations. “With this contract, we have achieved fairness, fair pay, strong support and real tangible gains,” he said.
“This worker-led, historic first collective agreement demonstrates how collective organizing can help the changing workforce meet the current moment and stand up for fairness and accountability,” said Patrick Johnson, President of UFCW Local 1518. “The monetary gains, the health and wellness wins, and the protections that come with the contract ratified today will strengthen the rideshare industry for years to come.”
Background: 2022 agreement between Uber and UFCW Canada
The Victoria contract builds on a national framework first established between Uber Canada and UFCW Canada in January 2022. At that time, the parties announced a “historic national agreement” giving more than 100,000 drivers and delivery people on the Uber platform access to representation.
Under the 2022 deal, Uber Canada and UFCW Canada committed to support provincial government reforms aimed at introducing new benefits for app-based workers while preserving flexibility over when, where and if they work. The package they promoted included an earning standard of at least 120 per cent of minimum wage during engaged time, an industry-wide benefits fund, notice of termination or pay in lieu, occupational accident coverage, and representation rights.
The agreement enabled UFCW Canada to provide representation at no cost for drivers and delivery people facing account deactivation or other account-related disputes, including support through third-party dispute resolution processes. Uber Canada and UFCW Canada also agreed to press provincial governments to enact reforms reflecting these principles, and have reported that, during the first three years of the agreement, UFCW Canada has assisted hundreds of workers in regaining access to their accounts or resolving account-related issues.
Also in 2022, Uber Technologies agreed to pay a total of $8.4 million following a lawsuit that included California drivers who argued they were misclassified as contractors instead of company employees, sparking talks of the revival of a recently weakened California law.
