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Bloomberg
Uber Technologies Inc lost an appeal over whether it should pay overtime and give vacation time to its drivers, a ruling that heaps yet more pressure on the ride-sharing company in one of its most mature markets.
The original decision that gave UK drivers the right to more benefits was “neither inconsistent nor perverse,†Judge Jennifer Eady said. The San Francisco-based company said the ruling was based on incorrect evidence and that it will appeal to higher courts.
The case may have implications for the broader gig economy, where workers use apps to perform jobs but don’t get benefits or job security. Uber has faced complaints about working conditions around the globe, and the UK—the company’s largest European hub— is leading the fight against
the service.
London’s transport regulator proposed banning it from the capital because of safety concerns, and a 44-year-old female driver sued for discrimination, saying the company doesn’t protect workers.
“Today’s victory is further proof, as if any more was needed, that the law is clear and these companies are simply choosing to deprive workers of their rights,†said Jason Moyer-Lee, the general secretary of the IWGB union, which represented drivers at the appeal.
The case, brought by two drivers, was the first against the company in Britain and could have ramifications for thousands of workers there. Judges in the UK have tended to demonstrate sympathy for the argument that the workers should receive more protection. Deliveroo, a London-based food-delivery company, is also being sued by dozens of riders over the same workers’ rights issues.