Uber heads to court over worker rights in landmark ruling for gig economy
Uber is due to head back to court as it appeals against the ruling that classified its drivers as not self-employed, entitling them to workers' rights under law, in a move to regulate gig economy.
The hearing starts on Tuesday and could result a landmark ruling that would regulate “precarious workers” including Uber drivers and riders for food-delivery apps such as Deliveroo.
James Farrar and Yaseen Aslam, the Uber drivers “defending workers,” claim that gig economy is exploitative and that they are entitled to minimum wage and vacation pay. Currently, self-employed are only entitled to basic protections such as health and safety.
Unions calculate that the new rights could be worth £18,000 per driver.
“Almost all taxi and private hire drivers have been self-employed for decades, long before our app existed,” Uber said in a statement.
“If drivers were classed as workers they would inevitably lose some of the freedom and flexibility that comes with being their own boss.”
Uber’s Chief Executive Officer Dara Khosrowshahi told reporters at a briefing last week: “We think we’re in the right here” but “sometimes we’ll have to go to court to preserve our rights.”