Drive Forward Seattle is an Uber-funded business organization whose board is controlled by Uber corporate executives. Drive Forward Seattle exists to advance the goals and priorities of Uber and other gig companies. They use the funds they secure from Uber to pay for an office in Eastlake and to fund the salaries of two staff members.
Four things to know about Drive Forward:
Drive Forward Seattle was founded by Uber in 2015 for the purpose of advancing Uber’s interests in Seattle. At that point in time, Uber only offered ridehail services in the area, so Drive Forward focused their attention on advocating to oppose raising pay and to oppose worker protections for ridehail drivers. When Uber expanded their business in the Seattle area to include food delivery, Drive Forward began to also advocate to oppose raising pay and to oppose worker protections for food delivery drivers.
Drive Forward Seattle is classified as a 501c6 business association, a type of organization which exists to advance business interests; this is the same type of organization as the Association of Washington Business, the Seattle Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce, and other business lobbying groups. Drive Forward is not a 501c3 or 501c4 membership organization, they do not solicit or accept individual donations, and they do not receive grants — their operations are wholly funded by corporate money.
Because Drive Forward Seattle is directed and controlled by Uber, they have the ability to reach tens of thousands of drivers in the Seattle area. Despite that access, they currently assert their email list only includes a couple thousand current and former drivers. While they sometimes try to say those email addresses are “members,” the people on their contact list have not agreed to any shared values, principles, or goals, and do not have any authority to set the direction of the organization. These contacts may not be driving anymore and may not even be valid email addresses.
Drive Forward Seattle has received well over $2 million from Uber over the past several years. In exchange, Drive Forward lobbies elected officials in support of Uber’s positions, and speaks to reporters to advance Uber’s public relations agenda.
Source: Seattle Times, 9/18/2019
More information:
Drive Forward’s most recent publicly available tax forms show their Executive Director at the time the form was filed was paid more than $100,000/year. (Drive Forward has since the hired a new Executive Director as well as a second staff person.) Uber pays delivery drivers subminimum wages for their work.
Drive Forward’s tax filings also show the extent to which Uber executives control their board — of the four members of the board, one is Uber’s regional manager, one is Uber’s policy director, and one is hired by Uber to serve as Drive Forward’s Executive Director.
Drive Forward has been accurately identified in the media, with the Seattle Times referring to “the Uber-funded group Drive Forward,” and KIRO-7 referring to “the industry-funded driver group Drive Forward”
Source: KIRO-7, 6/17/2021