Hundreds of Uber drivers have joined their union’s case against the ride-sharing service, according to a news release.
A total of 50 drivers have had proceedings issued in the case brought by GMB and the union has recently prepared the latest tranche of 25 drivers with “a solid case”.
More and more drivers are joining the case following the London Central Employment Tribunal’s October decision that a group of Uber drivers were workers for the company – not self-employed.
That decision means the drivers are entitled to at least the national minimum wage, plus holiday pay, according to the release, and could affect more than 30,000 Uber drivers across England and Wales. Leigh Day, the law firm bringing the case with GMB, predicted that thousands of drivers might eventually join the action against the ride-share service.
“We are delighted so many hundreds of drivers have contacted us, and we are working as fast as we can to get them ready to issue proceedings,” said Maria Ludkin, GMB legal director. “We will have the next large group ready to go early in the new year.”
“The judgment at the Employment Tribunal does not prevent Uber drivers from working flexibly, it simply ensures that whilst they are working the drivers receive the rights that every other worker is entitled to,” said Leigh Day’s Nigel MacKay. “Since the judgment was issued, we and GMB have spoken to hundreds of Uber drivers who wish to claim compensation for Uber’s failure to provide these entitlements in the past, as well as to ensure they are paid at least the national minimum wage and holiday pay in the future.”
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