This is something to keep an eye on because in February the House passed the Protecting the Right to Organize Act, or PRO Act, along party lines, and union bosses declared it a huge victory. That’s frightening because the PRO Act lifts language directly from California’s AB5, the law which went into effect Jan. 1 and basically killed the gig-worker economy: Uber and Lyft drivers, DoorDash drivers, entertainers, freelance writers, etc.
The idea, allegedly, was to force companies to hire on as full-time employees all of the people they’d been paying as independent contractors, completely ignoring the fact that a lot of people joined Uber because they didn’t want a full-time job but rather flexible hours and independence.
Joe Biden, doing his best to please the union bosses, has come out in favor of California’s AB5, which means the PRO Act would be on a fast track were he ever to become president.
I support #AB5 in California, which will give workers the dignity they deserve in the workplace. I agree with @transportworker that we can't let corporations undermine basic rights by adding these exemptions to ground-breaking legislation. https://t.co/bouzgRLBU7
— Joe Biden (Text Join to 30330) (@JoeBiden) March 7, 2020
Even Biden supporters are trying to tell Biden that AB5 is just a bad law.
Creepy Joe supports AB5 , figures !
— Make L.A Great Again ?? (@GuiltyHonkey) March 7, 2020
COME ON. I want to vote for you, man. You're supposed to be the sane one. Don't put independent contractors out of business. We're not exploited workers. We're business owners. #IRSnotABC #NoPROAct
— Jen Hubley Luckwaldt (@jenniesmash) March 7, 2020
No please don’t support this. PLEASE. It’s hurting artists of all kinds terribly…a huge section of your supporters!
— Heather Provost (@psirulehpro) March 7, 2020
This law is doing great damage to@our economy. This is a bad take.
— Christopher Filkins (@filchyboy) March 7, 2020
I voted for you on Tuesday and will vote for you on November, but you're wrong on this one
— Luke (Human Scum) Rodriguez ?? (@LukeRodriguez75) March 7, 2020
I support Joe, but #AB5 is a terrible idea. Most Uber and Lyft drivers I know personally just want access extra income without set hours, not to be employees.
— Jay Hudson (@jayhudsonhb) March 7, 2020
You may want to do a little research, and rethink that strategy Joe. The spirit of the law and the implementation of the law are 2 different things. AB5 is strangling California small businesses.
— Michael Towe (@Michael_Towe) March 7, 2020
I’m sorry to hear this. You don’t understand the damage #AB5 has done. It was an overreach legislatively & has destroyed livelihoods. We’ll be undoing the damage for awhile. This issue should have been addressed industry by industry & with much greater care.
— Danielle Lescure (@DanielleLescure) March 7, 2020
Followed for this. AB5 is a poorly written law that hurts ICs and folks like me in the music industry in California. A national version of this threatens to damage so many careers and lives. (I say this as a 30yr voter Dem)
— JRoy (@johnroysound) March 7, 2020
Adults should be free to contract for their labor in the marketplace. #AB5 is a nanny-state freedom killer that robs workers and companies of the flexibility that defines the 21st Century workplace. It ain't the 1950s, Joe.
— MisterBaggyPants (@PantsBaggy) March 7, 2020
Just another union reach around
— Mr. Bad Example (@MrBadExample7) March 7, 2020
So disappointed @JoeBiden and @DrBiden. Check out hashtag #AB5stories and you will see how this is a damaging, non-partisan issue in CA. #AB5 was poorly written and irresponsible and dismisses the concerns of many freelancers in CA. Do not support #AB5 in its current state.
— Alana Maiello (@AlanaMaiello) March 7, 2020
No. No one in California wants this law
— noneya ??????? (@66lizzys) March 7, 2020
You are supporting a law that is devastating California! Writers, photographers, videographers, translators, indie musicians, special ed teachers, specialists of any kind have lost their livelihoods! Even the Dem lawmakers know it's a mistake. Read #AB5 and #AB5stories.
— PixelPosh (@SusanVoiceOver) March 7, 2020
Speaking of California, remember when Rep. Nancy Pelosi said that if Obamacare were passed, everyone would be free to pursue a career as a photographer or a filmmaker because they wouldn’t have to worry about insurance through their workplace? And now her state is putting photographers and filmmakers out of business because they choose to work for themselves.
I'm a self-employed #artist who performs at parties, fairs, corporate events, festivals. Many in performing #arts are seeing steep decline in jobs & bookings because of #AB5. Between that & #covid19, 1000s will be out of work. Most have NO safety net. https://t.co/j4Bi1qDAOL
— Alana Dill (@alanapaints) March 7, 2020
#AB5 is deeply flawed. Exemptions are a less than ideal attempt to #FixAB5 before more people lose their livelihoods. Elected officials are woefully under (or mis)informed about the current world of work. If you care about workers, educate yourself & #fightforfreelancers, too.
— Tracy Craig (@tceditor) March 7, 2020
Job killer Joe, the Sling Blade of economics.
— Wonkish_Rogue (@LlamaBanned) March 7, 2020
OMG, do you want all of us voting for Trump? This law is devastating all successful IC’s in California. Reconsider this… this is serious #RepealAB5
— Fabio Silva (@fabinsinger) March 7, 2020
Please do not support AB5. It’s causing damage to freelancers.
— Tricia Gonzales ? (@tistricia) March 7, 2020
No, @JoeBiden, just no! It is destroying lives!!! You had my vote until just this second. Shame.
— Karen Peck (@KarenJeanPeck) March 7, 2020
Dammit Joe… you just lost my vote.
— Daniel Knighton (@DanielKnighton) March 7, 2020
Hey, lifelong Dem here. #AB5 resulted in me losing $1000 of work every month. Fewer companies want to work with me. I hate this law, even though I want greater worker protections. It needs to be repealed or fixed as soon as possible. Follow @cafwu for more info.
— Joseph Knoop (@JosephKnoop) March 7, 2020
Hard pass. #AB5 is hurting millions of freelance professionals in 150+ industries. Hitting women, elders, disabled, immigrants,creatives, performers, small bus entrepreneurs, health professionals, etc
Do you really want to throw 35% of workers/professionals out of work? Rethink— AndiHK (@AndiHK) March 7, 2020
He will put that many out of work. However many the unions tell him.
— RamenFreak (@freak_ramen) March 7, 2020
Don’t. Its put a lot of people out of work and I’d like to vote for you.
— Michelle Nati (@MichelleNati) March 7, 2020
AB5 IS A JOBS KILLER!
HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF IND. CONTRACTORS ARE OUT OF WORK!!
We are capable of self management. We can make our own decisions on what is best for our individual lives!!— DHD (@DHDuncanCA) March 7, 2020
VP Biden, this law is wrong and has cost families their livelihood. We are independent contractors who simply want to have the freedoms to do our work as we see fit. This law is robbing us of our dignity for the sake of unions. #RepealAB5https://t.co/AbpsPZMqk4
— Jennifer Oliver O'Connell (@asthegirlturns) March 7, 2020
@JoeBiden we enthusiastically supported you in #CaliforniaPrimary. Please rethink your stand on laws like #AB5 which hurt so many #freelancers and independent contractors in California. For us these laws are not groundbreaking but backbreaking. #RepealAB5 #DemocratsAgainstAB5
— 78tiger (@78tiger) March 7, 2020
I gotta disagree with you on this one Joe. I lost my job as a medical transcriptionist as I was considered an independent contractor. Of course most of the transcription work is offshored to India anyway. Even if candidates' MRs are released they're probably erroneous anyway.
— Linda H (@Immagineimagine) March 7, 2020
What about the hundreds of thousands of independent contractors who don't want to continue to work in a corporate dead-end job and union affiliation? What about their freedom, entrepreneurial & creative motivation, self-worth, lifestyle, & higher income potential? Read AB5!
— NateJRubin (@NateJRubin) March 7, 2020
Wow! I guess we will be voting for trump in California – signed, a professional single mom who has had no income for over 2 months
— free cat (@mc93823939) March 7, 2020
Here are 300 more stories of Californians losing income since 1/1 when #AB5works went into effect. #DemocratsAgainstAB5 https://t.co/eAo8zgxgAG
— Fred Topel #noPROact #fightforfreelancers #fixAB5 (@FredTopel) March 7, 2020
@JoeBiden #AB5 puts independent musicians out of work and stifles the creative industry! I am NOT an employer just because I split a check from a venue with my bandmates, but AB5 says I am. #AB5hurts #AB5stories
— Ashley Morgan (@ImAshleyMorgan) March 7, 2020
Yeah this is a problem.
— Nick Luca (@nickluca12) March 7, 2020
Nooooo! I’m a disabled 54 year old independent contractor who can’t work because of this law!
— Lili VonSchtupp ? (@LiliVonSchtupp) March 7, 2020
Destroyed jobs and the freedom to do what we the people wanted.
— AJ (@SBSportsDiva) March 7, 2020
That law will kill small festivals and theaters
— AllyOops (@alissaasmith1) March 7, 2020
Joe, PLEASE educate yourself on the negatives of #AB5. The ABC test is antiquated, while the IRS test to determine who is TRULY being exploited, as opposed to those like myself who are successful solopreneurs, will protect the livelihoods that AB5 has destroyed.
— MelanieVotaw (@melanievotaw) March 7, 2020
My mom either loses her income, or is forced to move out of CA to keep a 30 year career as an independent contractor, due to AB5. She's 6th gen Ca born. You just lost our votes. For the first time in my life I voted red. I felt sick to my stomach.#RepealAB5 #DemsAgainstAB5
— Leina caldwell (@Leina1redngold) March 7, 2020
AB5 is such trash its sponsor in California has just decided to start blocking people (MAGA bots) on Twitter who criticize it because she’s just sick of the complaints.
Related:
Great thread tears apart California’s horrible #AB5 ‘gig worker bill’ with a story of family separation https://t.co/GSIWOq5RnT
— Twitchy Team (@TwitchyTeam) January 14, 2020
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