Judge puts on hold Seattle law allowing a ride-hailing union

Apr. 4, 2017 3:10 PM EDT

SEATTLE (AP) — A federal judge in Seattle on Tuesday temporarily blocked the city's first-in-the-nation law allowing drivers of ride-hailing companies such as Uber and Lyft to unionize over pay and working conditions.

U.S. District Judge Robert Lasnik's ruling comes after he heard arguments last week in a case brought by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. He said his decision is not an indication of how he will ultimately rule.

"The issues raised in this litigation are novel, they are complex, and they reside at the intersection of national policies that have been decades in the making," Lasnik wrote. "The public will be well-served by maintaining the status quo while the issues are given careful judicial consideration as to whether the city's well-meaning ordinance can survive the scrutiny our laws require."

The chamber sued to block the law before a deadline for the companies to provide information about their most active drivers to the Teamsters union, which has been selected to represent the drivers.

The lawsuit argues that federal law trumps the city's statute. Seattle's lawyers disagreed and said allowing drivers to bargain over their working conditions will make the industry safer and more reliable.

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