Reaction Mixed After Seattle’s Uber Union Vote

SEATTLE (AP) — Reaction has been mixed after the Seattle City Council voted to give drivers for ride-hailing companies, taxis and for-hire transportation companies the right to unionize over pay and working conditions.

San Francisco-based Lyft urged the mayor and council to reconsider following the bill's passage Monday. The company says the ordinance threatens drivers' privacy, imposes costs to passengers and the city, and contradicts federal law.

Saad Melouchi, who drives for Uber, says he's thrilled with the decision. He burst into cheers and hugged others outside City Council chambers. He says he wants to bargain over issues such as safety and wages.

The Teamsters Union Local 117 also celebrated the vote, while the National Right To Work Legal Foundation criticized it as a violation of drivers' rights.