A union in British Columbia asked the province’s Labour Relations Board to rule that ride-sharing drivers on apps such as those by Uber Technologies Inc. and Lyft Inc. are employees. Ride-hailing services are expected to begin soon in the province.

“We have reviewed the terms of Lyft and Uber’s agreements and in our assessment, they are in violation of BC labor laws,” said Kim Novak, president of the UFCW 1518.

“The contracts that Uber and Lyft are proposing in BC are virtually identical to the ones offered to drivers elsewhere,” Novak said. “Many jurisdictions have scrambled to protect workers after the fact; we want to make sure that workers are protected before ride hailing services launch this year.”

The union cited an order by New Jersey last month that Uber owed $650 million in employment taxes because it considered the drivers to be employees.