Uber has reached a landmark deal with GMB that will allow at least 70,000 drivers to join the union.
This is the first time that a UK rideshare company officially recognizes a union and concludes a collective agreement, marking a huge change from Uber’s stance just a few years ago.
The move would give drivers a stronger voice within the company, Uber said in a statement Wednesday evening, while relying on changes made earlier this year that ensure worker benefits like vacation pay and a pension plan.
This is the latest raid by the Silicon Valley-based company, which lost a Supreme Court battle in 2016 after seeking to classify drivers as independent contractors rather than workers.
As part of the deal announced on Wednesday, union representatives will be in attendance at Uber driver assistance centers to help increase membership.
GMB and Uber executives have agreed to meet quarterly to discuss driver issues and concerns, such as wages and benefits.
Mick Rix, a country manager at GMB, said: “This groundbreaking agreement between GMB and Uber could be the first step towards a fairer working life for millions of people. History is made.
“When private hire companies and tech unions work together in this way, everyone benefits: bringing decent and secure employment back into the world of work.
“We are now calling on all other operators to follow suit.”
Uber previously said the Supreme Court ruling in 2016 had “provided a clearer path for a model that gives drivers worker status rights while still allowing them to work flexibly.”
The company has since been challenged in courts around the world over the status of its drivers.
Last year, France’s highest court recognized an Uber driver’s right to be considered an employee, while the European Union considers new rules to protect workers in the odd-job economy.
Jamie Heywood, Uber Regional General Manager …
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Source: news.sky.com
This notice was published: 2021-05-26 17:44:00
