The Green Party Trade Union Group welcomes the Supreme Court’s unanimous decision to uphold the Employment Tribunal’s view that Uber drivers are workers in the view of the law, not contractors or self-employed individuals.
Uber drivers are owed the basic rights owed to all workers: a minimum wage, union representation, the right to fight for collective bargaining, sick pay, annual leave and so much more besides.
In truth, the legal facts of this matter were never really in doubt. Uber has known for a long time that its exploitative business model is predicated on denying its workers the rights they are owed by law. But instead of negotiating a fair and just settlement with its workers and their trade unions, Uber has chosen to wage war on employment rights and avoid its responsibilities altogether.
It has taken the workers involved in this case six years to win this Supreme Court ruling. Meanwhile, Uber’s statements this morning make clear that they will continue to attempt to shirk their legal and moral responsibilities, while trying to misinform their workers and push anti-union narratives. We have seen from recent developments worldwide, including California’s damaging Proposition 22 ballot initiative, that platform capitalists will stop at nothing to keep exploiting their workforce. We in turn must stop at nothing to defeat this ongoing exploitation.
Now the UK government must waste no time in asserting and enforcing the protections to which app-based workers are legally and ethically entitled. We congratulate the App Drivers & Couriers Union (ADCU), GMB, and all who worked so hard for this victory.
We encourage all private hire drivers to join a trade union specialising in organising drivers. We encourage all Green Party members and supporters to provide financial and other support to these trade unions in the fight ahead.