Seattle vote on delivery driver pay cut delayed

SEATTLE — A highly anticipated vote by Seattle City Council was put on hold Tuesday after a last-minute amendment was added to CB 120775.

The ordinance would make sweeping changes to Seattle’s PayUp legislation that was implemented back in January of 2024. As it stands now, gig workers earn $26.40 per hour $0.74 per mile for each offer. Pay is also calculated on a per offer basis with a $5 minimum. The current ordinance also allows workers to get paid when they accept an offer.

The new ordinance which would change all of that would reduce the hourly rate to $19.97 per hour and $0.35 per mile for each offer. The changes would also mean that pay would be calculated over a network of company earnings and the minimum pay offer would be eliminated. The new ordinance also would not allow workers to get paid until they are “en route” for an order.

Hundreds of people turned up at Tuesday’s city council meeting with an overwhelming majority of those in attendance opposing the changes. Gig workers spoke up during public comment saying the changes would ultimately hurt them financially.

“We’re here to demand that city council reject Sarah Nelson’s proposed amendment to cut gig worker pay and go a step further by standing up to the big companies in support of a living wage for gig workers,” one man said. KIRO 7 only counted two people during public comment who were in favor of the changes.

KIRO 7 reached out to Uber, DoorDash and Instacart who were all in favor of the changes. A spokesperson for Instacart said, “Every day that the Seattle City Council chooses not to pass the compromise PayUp ordinance is another day that local businesses and shoppers suffer under the current misguided policy. We’re disappointed the Council decided to delay fixing a broken law when the need for reform is so clear.

Since PayUp’s implementation, local businesses have shared how this law has badly hurt their operations, and shoppers have consistently said their experience has worsened. Instacart remains committed to finding a common-sense solution to this problematic law as soon as possible while continuing to provide the best customer and shopper experience in Seattle.”

Uber called the current ordinance “broken” and said in a statement, “We are encouraged that the City Council is taking action in response to the hundreds of Seattle constituents, delivery drivers and small businesses adversely impacted by this broken law. Good policy should always reflect input from the groups and individuals impacted, the proposed reform ordinance is a step in that direction by a proposal that is above Seattle’s minimum wage while also empowering drivers and restaurants with more earning opportunities.”

DoorDash slammed the council for delaying the vote saying, “Rather than pass a compromise bill to lower costs and bring deliveries back to the city, the Council sat on their hands while businesses and workers continue to struggle. Every day counts for the merchants and Dashers who are losing hundreds of thousands of orders. We urge the Council to show the leadership the city needs and pass this compromise immediately.”

KIRO 7 is still waiting to hear back from GrubHub about the proposed changes. As for the amendment, Uber said they are reviewing it and DoorDash said they were unaware of it.

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