Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party lawmakers and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz say they’ve reached a compromise on minimum wages for ride-hailing drivers that could stop Uber and Lyft’s threats to end service in the state on July 1.

The potential deal comes after weeks of uncertainty about whether the Minnesota Legislature would preempt a minimum wage ordinance approved by the Minneapolis City Council that triggered the ride-share companies’ threats to leave in the first place.

“This was hard fought — this was not just saying no, it was the ability to try and get the ride-share companies to the table,” Walz said at a Capitol news conference late Saturday night. “Minnesotans are going to continue to be able to use the services as they see fit.”

House and Senate DFLers and the governor announced the deal as the Minnesota Legislature closed in on Sunday, its last day to pass bills in 2024. The bill would set the per-mile pay rate for ride-hailing drivers at $1.28 per mile and 31 cents per minute.

Those levels are lower than the Minneapolis ordinance minimum wage of $1.40 per mile and 51 cents per minute in city limits, which prompted the ride-share companies’ threats to leave in the first place. It’s set to go into effect on July 1, but if Minnesota passes its bill it will preempt the city wage. It was initially set to go into effect on May 1.

A deal on ride-share wages had eluded lawmakers in the final days of the session. A few weeks ago DFLers and the city council announced what they called a “compromise,” but Uber and Lyft said they had nothing to do with the deal.

Uber confirmed it’s on board with the deal late Saturday night, though Lyft couldn’t immediately be reached for comment.

Sen. Omar Fateh, DFL-Minneapolis, who sponsored a version of the bill last year that prompted the Uber and Lyft threats to leave, was not in the Senate on Saturday and told reporters he was working on the last-minute bill.

When he initially stepped forward to speak at the late-night news conference announcing the deal, he was overcome with emotion and embraced House rideshare bill sponsor Rep. Hodan Hassan, DFL-Minneapolis, who then initially spoke on the bill on his behalf.

“We’ve been at this for two years,” said Hassan. “This has been about fair wages, fair treatment and protecting workers.”

Fateh had been pushing for a minimum wage for ride-hailing drivers for two years. The governor vetoed his initial version last year; it was the first time Walz had ever rejected a bill.

At least one member of the Minneapolis City Council reacted negatively to the bill and its preemptions of the higher wages set by the council in March.

“Watching our (Gov. Tim Walz) cave to multibillion-dollar corporations in insisting on preempting Minneapolis is gross,” council member Aisha Chughtai said in a post on X.

Republicans said they had nothing to do with the negotiating process and didn’t know anything about the bill except what DFLers announced late Saturday night.

Senate Minority Leader Mark Johnson, R-East Grand Forks, said he didn’t know whether Republicans would back the deal as they haven’t been able to review the bill.

“How much more you’re going to be paying as a rider? Is it going to be twice as much now?” he said. “We need to see the language … yet we only have about 27 hours before this session is over.”

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Minnesota United attempted to refresh its starting lineup after a draw with L.A. Galaxy on Wednesday, but it was two second-half subs who logged a lot of playing time midweek who produced goals in a 2-1 win over Portland Timbers at Allianz Field.

Robin Lod scored the equalizing goal in the 65th minute and Sang Bin Jeong netted the game-winner in the 82nd.

MNUFC (7-2-3, 24 points) extended an unbeaten streak to five games, while Portland (3-7-4, 13 points) has won one of its last 11 matches

Lod’s goal was his 28th for the Loons in all competitions and it moved him past Darwin Quintero and Emanuel Reynoso into first place in club history.

For Jeong, it was his first goal in nine-plus seasons and only second since joining MNUFC last spring.

United trailed at halftime, but opportunities to get back in the game would be there. The Timbers had allowed the second-most goals (27) in MLS coming into Saturday’s game.

MNUFC controlled the start of the game and Teemu Pukki missed a great chance in the 13th minute.

Portland made the Loons pay. Striker Jonathan Rodriguez got behind Michel Boxall and slotted a shot past Dayne St. Clair for a 1-0 lead in the 17th minute.

In the 28th minute. Minnesota forward Bongi Hlongwane appeared to be taken down in the box by Kamal Miller, but referee Jair Marrufo and VAR determined it was not a penalty.

The Loons continued to prod the Portland defense but with no breakthroughs. Rodriquez nearly had a second goal with a chip off St. Clair, but the 6-foot-3 goalkeeper came out of the box and was able to head away the chance.

United coach Eric Ramsay’s bold lineup choices continued in Saturday’s starting XI. After Wednesday’s 2-2 draw with L.A. Galaxy, the Loons coach opted to make four changes and appeared to be forced into one.

Kervin Arriaga, who is dealing with a slight hamstring injury, dropped to the bench, with Devin Padelford coming in.

Caden Clark stepped in for DJ Taylor at right wing back against Portland. Clark typically plays winger but has had a few games as a wing back. This was his first big opportunity in the newer role.

Carlos Harvey also made his first MLS start for the Loons, coming in for Lod, who has been the most impactful player this season. Harvey had played only 56 MLS minutes for MNUFC this season.

Briefly

Loons center back Micky Tapias received a red card Saturday and will be suspended for Saturday’s game at Colorado Rapids. Midway through Saturday’s first half, Rodriguez and Clark jawed with each other after a ball went out of bounds. St. Clair stood up for his teammate and so did Tapias, shoving Rodriguez. A few Timbers players come to defend Rodriguez as Ramsay and others broke up the skirmish. Tapias received a yellow card for his shove. Tapias then received a second yellow card for a challenge in stoppage time. … Woodbury native Eric Miller was a second-half substitute for Portland.

CLEVELAND — Bailey Ober tried everything in his arsenal. Pitch after pitch, he watched as José Ramírez got his bat on the ball, fouling them off. Finally, on the 12th pitch of their battle, Ramírez broke through, the Guardians’ star sending a two-run home run over the wall in right field.

It was that kind of night for Ober, who saw the Guardians repeatedly spoil good pitches as they drove up his pitch count and forced him out of the game early in the Twins’ eventual 11-4 loss at Progressive Field.

Ramírez, who hit an eighth-inning, go-ahead home run a day earlier, continued to torment Twins’ pitchers, driving in another run in the third with a double off of Ober. He finished the day with three hits.

He got plenty of help from his teammates, as well. Leadoff man Tyler Freeman finished with four hits, driving in three runs and second baseman Andrés Gimenez collected three hits. Those three hitters atop the Guardians’ lineup finished the day with 10 of the Guardians’ 16 hits.

Ober, who threw 38 pitches in the first, was chased after just four innings. He gave up five runs, the most in any start this season since his first outing when he allowed eight.

Things weren’t much easier on Kody Funderburk, who gave up two runs in his two innings pitched or Jay Jackson, who allowed four runs during his inning as Freeman and Giménez each had two-out, two-run hits.

The Twins’ offense, which had been slumping of late, was shut out until it was far too late. They didn’t score until the ninth when Byron Buxton, just off the injured list, singled home Willi Castro. Carlos Santana brought home their second run of the inning and Kyle Farmer doubled home two more.

That came after Guardians starter Logan Allen fired off six scoreless innings in his outing, striking out seven Twins in the process.

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After Friday’s rain forced a postponement in St. Paul, the Saints beat Omaha 4-2 on Saturday in the continuation of Friday’s game before falling by the same 4-2 score in the regularly scheduled game.

Michael Helman had a pair of homers for the Saints, one that made a difference in the first game and one that wasn’t enough in the second.

After David Festa allowed two runs in four innings before Friday’s rain, the bullpen took over with Ronny Henriquez, Scott Blewett (1-2) and Jorge Alcala combining for five scoreless innings in the victory. Alcala secured his first save of the season for St. Paul.

A 4-all game was turned in the eighth inning as Helman hit a two-run homer off Omaha’s Colin Selby. Tony Kemp had hit a two-run homer for the Saints a day earlier.

On Royce Lewis bobblehead-giveaway day in St. Paul, with the sun shining, the Saints couldn’t keep the momentum. The aptly named Storm Chasers scored three runs in the second inning on the way to the win.

Caleb Baragar (0-1) started the second game for St. Paul and allowed three runs — one earned — in 3 2/3 innings.

Helman had two hits in the second game, including his seventh homer of the season. Down 3-0, Chris Williams homered in the second and Helman followed with another solo shot in the third.

Omaha stopped any comeback and Nick Loftin homered for the Storm Chasers in the seventh.

Matt Wallner walked twice and stole a base for St. Paul.

The Saints host the finale of the six-game series at 2:07 p.m. today.

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