Uber drivers in B.C. Interior join union, expand historic collective agreement

Kelowna, B.C. – September 2, 2026 – More than 1,000 Uber drivers across B.C.’s Interior are joining UFCW 1518, expanding the world’s first collective agreement for Uber rideshare drivers and marking another historic step forward for workers in the platform economy.

“Uber drivers in B.C.’s interior are building on the historic achievement of drivers in Victoria,” said UFCW Canada National President Barry Sawyer. “Through their union, these drivers are making it clear that app-based workers deserve a meaningful voice on the issues that affect their livelihoods. UFCW Canada is proud to support them as they continue building a stronger future for workers in the platform economy.”

Drivers in Kelowna, Kamloops, Penticton, and communities across the Okanagan, Kootenay and Cariboo regions will now be covered by the landmark agreement first negotiated by Uber drivers in Victoria.

The agreement provides drivers with important improvements, including a health spending fund, quarterly bonuses, annual increases to waiting fees, cancellation fees and out-of-region fees, formal dispute resolution mechanisms, and in-person union representation.

The expansion demonstrates the growing power of collective action among app-based workers. After seeing the gains achieved by their fellow drivers in Victoria, Interior drivers chose to organize and build on that success.

“The agreement reached by Uber drivers in Victoria made history. Now we’re seeing that history continue to grow,” said UFCW 1518 President Patrick Johnson. “Drivers in Interior B.C. saw what was possible when workers came together, and they decided to organize for those same protections, representation, and improvements.”

For drivers, having a union means having a stronger voice when workplace issues arise.

“A union gives us a meaningful voice on the issues that affect our livelihoods, including transparency, fairness, safety and account-related concerns,” said Shane Sievers, a Kelowna-based Uber driver. “With proper representation, drivers don’t have to face these issues alone.”

The growth of the agreement comes as app-based work continues to expand across Canada and around the world. The organizing of Uber drivers in B.C.’s Interior demonstrates that workers can build collective power and improve their working conditions, regardless of whether they work in a traditional workplace or through a digital platform.

Since signing a national agreement with Uber in 2022, UFCW Canada has been providing drivers with support and advocacy when encountering disputes on the app. UFCW Canada has filed over thousands of cases on behalf of drivers, resulting in restored account access or positive resolutions to their disputes.