Uber’s California Ballot Win on Driver Pay Voided by Judge (1)

A California state judge struck down a voter-approved ballot measure bankrolled by Uber Technologies Inc., Lyft Inc., DoorDash Inc. and Instacart Inc. that declared drivers for the companies were independent contractors.

Proposition 22, which passed in a statewide vote in November, exempts the so-called gig economy businesses from a state labor law requiring more companies to hire workers as employees and provide them benefits.

The judge found that Proposition 22’s provisions tying the legislature’s hands regarding which workers are covered by worker’s compensation law, and regarding collective bargaining in future gig work, violate the state’s constitution.

“If the ...