Drivers sue Uber over employment rights

uber

Uber, which allows users to book and pay for a mini cab through a smartphone app, is used by up to 30,000 Londoners, reports The BBC.

The test case centres around whether the drivers can be considered workers or, as Uber argues, as self-employed.

The two legal definitions are accorded different employment rights.

Workers are given similar rights to employees in that they are entitled to holiday pay, are protected from unlawful deductions from their pay and may be entitled to sickness pay.

This is the first time that Uber will have faced legal action in the UK over whether their drivers are workers or self-employed.

The two test cases, which will determine a further 17 claims against the firm, are being brought by law firm Leigh Day on behalf of the GMB union.

It argues Uber does not currently ensure its drivers are paid the minimum wage or that they receive paid holiday.

The union also says Uber does not provide its drivers with the rights normally afforded to employees, claiming instead that they are “partners”.

Uber has always maintained that its drivers are self-employed and as such are able to work as little or often as they wish.