PEOPLE in the US have been so busy freaking out about the recent presidential election that it was easy to miss a vote in California for a ballot measure called , Lyft, DoorDash, Instacart and Postmates sponsored the measure, to the tune of $205 million. Some even converted their apps into propaganda machines, exhorting users to vote “Yes on Prop 22”.

The measure passed, and now California has a new class of worker: “independent contractors”. The result is that there is a special exemption for gig work companies from certain labour laws and …