Uber appeals against Tribunal decision

Uber, the app linking taxi drivers and passengers, has launched an appeal against an Employment Tribunal ruling that its minicab drivers should be classed as workers with access to the minimum wage, sick pay and paid holidays, according to an article in The Guardian. Uber filed papers with the appeal tribunal earlier this week, in an attempt to overturn the October judgment.

Two Uber drivers, James Farrar and Yaseen Aslam, took Uber to court on behalf of a group 19 others who argued that they were employed by the San Francisco-based company, rather than working for themselves. Uber’s business model has been based on treating drivers who log on to its app as self-employed contractors and taking a cut of their fares, which Uber dictates.

Jo Bertram, Uber’s UK general manager, said: “Tens of thousands of people in London drive with Uber precisely because they want to be self-employed and their own boss. The overwhelming majority of drivers who use the Uber app want to keep the freedom and flexibility of being able to drive when and where they want.”

Meanwhile, 25 more Uber drivers are planning to claim workers’ rights from Uber and have joined the legal action the law firm Leigh Day is bringing with the GMB union.

Employment Barrister - myBarrister

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