Hold on. If they can unionize, it sounds like they are some kind of employees, rather than just folks who happen to be going the same way I am and can give me a lift. Remember when it was called "ride-sharing"?
So if I'm interpreting this correctly, everything changes. These are taxi cab companies, and they need to be licensed like taxi cab companies.
I guess I'm confused.

@1, except taxicab companies were crusty old monopolies that weren't doing anything innovative to provide transportation or serve the market. You're "confused" like a taxicab promoter.

Oh "sharing" my ass. An Uber driver who was just going about his day and happened to be going your way? No.

Carpooling apps exist, but Uber is not one.

My guess, once drivers attempt to organize, Uber and Lyft will abandon Seattle.

@7: Of course they will. That's what the city council wants, and that's what Teamsters Local 117, who claim they want to "represent" rideshare drivers, wants. And if anyone doubts that,
consider the fact that it's not just about enriching themselves with 15,000 new forced dues paying members, they just happen to represent Yellow Cab.

And when Uber and Lyft leave Seattle, what will the city do about transportation for all the newcomers moving into buildings with no on-site parking because they thought they could Uber everywhere?

@7 and 8: Not a chance, way too much money involved. And Uber just thumbs it's nose at pesky things like "laws". Lyft my do the right thing, but Uber will tell the drivers to fuck off and die or play by Uber rules, screw what the courts or Seattle says. Most Uber drivers will fold under Uber's weight and forget all about unions and $15 an hour...

@8

And when Uber and Lyft leave Seattle, what will the city do about transportation for all the newcomers moving into buildings with no on-site parking because they thought they could Uber everywhere?

Dude, where have you been? Rideshare bikes and Sound Transit. Get with the program.

Why hasn't the Seattle City Council enacted an edict telling Uber & Lyft how to run its business in exchange for using Seattle's public infrastructure to make money?

Good question.

@8: "Rideshare bikes and Sound Transit."
Arty, this is snark, right? I hope you're not seriously suggesting Lime Bikes and light rail are all we need to get around the city and greater Seattle.

@7: Seattle is a lucrative market, to be sure. But it's still just one market. You do understand that unionization is a direct threat to Uber's business model, right? They're not going to stick around; they will make an example of Seattle and pull out, rather than risk the union effort spreading to other cities. After all like you say, Uber doesn't care what the city or the courts say, so why would they allow the morons on some city council to dictate to them how they run their operation? They pulled out of Austin last year when the city required fingerprinting of drivers, and it's not like that issue really even would affect them financially.

As for unions and $15 dollars an hour, if an Uber driver isn't averaging significantly above that, he's doing something wrong. And the Teamsters can't guarantee them any kind of minimum. And I find it funny the Teamsters, who represent Yellow Cab, claim to care about drivers when they pushed the city to not allow newer and part time drivers to even have a vote. So they'll be forced to pay the same dues as full time drivers to a union they couldn't even vote on?

Uber would also be forced to turn over all of drivers' personal info, email, phone, driver license number, home address, etc.. to the Teamsters, a blatant violation of privacy rights. Drivers would no longer be ale to contact Uber when they have issues with the app or a ride. The Teamsters would also dictate when and how they drive. There's currently around 15,000 Uber drivers; they would limit that number to 150 on the road at any given time, literally 1%. And drivers would have to work shifts, rather than choose their hours. That would make them...taxi drivers! The whole point and attraction for them to drive for Uber is it gives them the flexibility to choose their hours. That lets them use Uber to fill in those missing hours if they're working another part time job or have another business on the side.

I could go on. But whatever. I'm sure you and the city council know far more about how to run a business than Uber and it's drivers.