Uber to give UK drivers workers' rights after court defeat | The Business Standard
Skip to main content
  • Latest
  • Economy
    • Banking
    • Stocks
    • Industry
    • Analysis
    • Bazaar
    • RMG
    • Corporates
    • Aviation
  • Videos
    • TBS Today
    • TBS Stories
    • TBS World
    • News of the day
    • TBS Programs
    • Podcast
    • Editor's Pick
  • World+Biz
  • Features
    • Panorama
    • The Big Picture
    • Pursuit
    • Habitat
    • Thoughts
    • Splash
    • Mode
    • Tech
    • Explorer
    • Brands
    • In Focus
    • Book Review
    • Earth
    • Food
    • Luxury
    • Wheels
  • Subscribe
    • Get the Paper
    • Epaper
    • GOVT. Ad
  • More
    • Sports
    • TBS Graduates
    • Bangladesh
    • Supplement
    • Infograph
    • Archive
    • Gallery
    • Long Read
    • Interviews
    • Offbeat
    • Magazine
    • Climate Change
    • Health
    • Cartoons
  • বাংলা
The Business Standard

Tuesday
July 22, 2025

Sign In
Subscribe
  • Latest
  • Economy
    • Banking
    • Stocks
    • Industry
    • Analysis
    • Bazaar
    • RMG
    • Corporates
    • Aviation
  • Videos
    • TBS Today
    • TBS Stories
    • TBS World
    • News of the day
    • TBS Programs
    • Podcast
    • Editor's Pick
  • World+Biz
  • Features
    • Panorama
    • The Big Picture
    • Pursuit
    • Habitat
    • Thoughts
    • Splash
    • Mode
    • Tech
    • Explorer
    • Brands
    • In Focus
    • Book Review
    • Earth
    • Food
    • Luxury
    • Wheels
  • Subscribe
    • Get the Paper
    • Epaper
    • GOVT. Ad
  • More
    • Sports
    • TBS Graduates
    • Bangladesh
    • Supplement
    • Infograph
    • Archive
    • Gallery
    • Long Read
    • Interviews
    • Offbeat
    • Magazine
    • Climate Change
    • Health
    • Cartoons
  • বাংলা
TUESDAY, JULY 22, 2025
Uber to give UK drivers workers' rights after court defeat

Global Economy

Reuters
17 March, 2021, 12:30 pm
Last modified: 17 March, 2021, 12:41 pm

Related News

  • 2,000-year-old Roman wall paintings unearthed in London
  • CA Yunus returns home from London
  • 'Historic' Yunus-Tarique meeting ends after nearly 1.5 hours of discussions on polls, other crucial issues
  • Tarique may propose election in February during meeting with CA
  • UK crime agency now freezes assets of ex-land minister Saifuzzaman: AJ

Uber to give UK drivers workers' rights after court defeat

Uber Technologies Inc has pushed back against European and US labor advocates’ demands for better driver compensation with some success, calling for a “third way” of combining flexible on-demand work with more limited benefits than traditional employees receive

Reuters
17 March, 2021, 12:30 pm
Last modified: 17 March, 2021, 12:41 pm
The Uber logo is displayed on a mobile phone in this picture illustration taken November 25, 2019. REUTERS/Hannah McKay/Illustration
The Uber logo is displayed on a mobile phone in this picture illustration taken November 25, 2019. REUTERS/Hannah McKay/Illustration

In a major victory for unions, Uber's more than 70,000 British drivers will be paid the minimum wage while picking up and driving passengers as part of the ride-hailing company's agreement to grant workers' rights after it lost a groundbreaking Supreme Court case last month.

Uber Technologies Inc has pushed back against European and US labor advocates' demands for better driver compensation with some success, calling for a "third way" of combining flexible on-demand work with more limited benefits than traditional employees receive.

The agreement in Britain classifies Uber drivers as workers who are entitled to fewer rights than those classed as employees, who are also guaranteed sick pay and parental leave. Uber in California last year pushed and won a similar compromise on drivers' status.

The Business Standard Google News Keep updated, follow The Business Standard's Google news channel

In a case led by two former Uber drivers, a UK employment tribunal ruled in 2016 that they were due entitlements such as paid holidays, prompting Uber to appeal all the way to Britain's top court, which ruled against it in February.

Uber said at the time it would consult with drivers whilst lawyers said it could take several months for the details of the ruling to be worked out at a further employment tribunal hearing. Meanwhile, more cases could be filed.

On Tuesday, Uber said UK drivers would receive some added benefits, including paid holiday time, be enrolled in a pension scheme and receive no less than the minimum wage, which stands at an hourly 8.72 pounds ($12.07) for those aged 25 years and over, after they accept a trip request.

"This follows the recent UK Supreme Court ruling, which provides a clearer path forward as to a model that gives drivers the rights of worker status while continuing to let them work flexibly," Uber said.

Drivers will not receive minimum wage during the time they spend waiting for a passenger. That portion, known as cruising or dead-heading, can account for as much as a third of the time drivers spend behind the wheel with the app turned on, according to several US studies.

UK and US labor activists have called on Uber to pay drivers from the moment they log onto the app and are available, but Uber has said it could not control what drivers did during that time and whether they were actually working.

The Silicon Valley-based company said its drivers in London, by far its largest market in Europe, earn 17 pounds an hour on average and the flexibility to choose if, when and where they work will be retained.

Uber has faced opposition from traditional taxi operators and unions who criticised the app for undercutting existing players, leading to protests and regulatory and legal challenges which have forced the company to pull out of some markets.

France's top court in 2020 recognised the right of an Uber driver to be considered an employee while European Union regulators are considering new rules to protect gig economy workers.

California lawmakers last year implemented a bill that would have forced gig economy companies to treat their workers as employees, leading Uber to put forth its "third way" ballot proposition, which voters approved.

That cemented app-based workers' status as independent contractors while offering some benefits, including minimum pay while riders are in their cars, healthcare subsidies and accident insurance.

In California, Uber has financed at least some of the added benefits by increasing prices for riders.

Tuesday's announcement could impact others in the gig economy, where millions of people tend to work for one or more companies on a job-by-job basis.

"Uber is just one part of a larger private-hire industry, so we hope that all other operators will join us in improving the quality of work for these important workers who are an essential part of our everyday lives," said Uber's Northern and Eastern Europe boss Jamie Heywood.

Top News / World+Biz

uber / London / Uber drivers / Uber Technologies Inc / Britain

Comments

While most comments will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive, moderation decisions are subjective. Published comments are readers’ own views and The Business Standard does not endorse any of the readers’ comments.

Top Stories

  • Law Adviser Asif Nazrul speaks to media at Milestone School and College on 22 July 2025. Photo: UNB
    Govt deems Milestone students' six demands justified following deadly plane crash
  • Members from the transgender community stands near the national burn institute around this noon, 22 July, 2025. Photo: TBS
    Transgender people step up once again to donate blood for Uttara plane crash victims
  • Collected from Facebook
    Her burnt bag, books found, but Raisa is still missing

MOST VIEWED

  • Training aircraft crashes at the Diabari campus of Milestone College on 21 July 2025. Photo: Courtesy
    BAF jet crash at Milestone school: At least 20 including children, pilot dead; 171 hospitalised
  • Flight Lieutenant Md Towkir Islam. Photo: Collected
    Pilot tried to avoid disaster by steering crashing jet away from populated area: ISPR
  • An idle luxury: Built at a cost of Tk450 crore, this rest house near Parki Beach in Anwara upazila has stood unused for six months. Perched on the southern bank of the Karnaphuli, the facility now awaits a private lease as the Bridge Division seeks to put it to use. Photo: Md Minhaz Uddin
    Karnaphuli Tunnel’s service area holds tourism promises, but tall order ahead
  • Bangladesh declares one-day state mourning following plane crash on school campus
    Bangladesh declares one-day state mourning following plane crash on school campus
  • 91-day treasury bills rate falls 1.13 percentage points to 10.45% in a week
    91-day treasury bills rate falls 1.13 percentage points to 10.45% in a week
  • Air Force F-7 BJI training aircraft crashes at Milestone College in Uttara
    Air Force F-7 BJI training aircraft crashes at Milestone College in Uttara

Related News

  • 2,000-year-old Roman wall paintings unearthed in London
  • CA Yunus returns home from London
  • 'Historic' Yunus-Tarique meeting ends after nearly 1.5 hours of discussions on polls, other crucial issues
  • Tarique may propose election in February during meeting with CA
  • UK crime agency now freezes assets of ex-land minister Saifuzzaman: AJ

Features

Illustration: TBS

Uttara, Jatrabari, Savar and more: The killing fields that ran red with July martyrs’ blood

14h | Panorama
Despite all the adversities, girls from the hill districts are consistently pushing the boundaries to earn repute and make the nation proud. Photos: TBS

Despite poor accommodation, Ghagra’s women footballers bring home laurels

1d | Panorama
Photos: Collected

Water-resistant footwear: A splash of style in every step

1d | Brands
Tottho Apas have been protesting in front of the National Press Club in Dhaka for months, with no headway in sight. Photo: Mehedi Hasan

From empowerment to exclusion: The crisis facing Bangladesh’s Tottho Apas

2d | Panorama

More Videos from TBS

Rumors of concealing casualty data: Press Wing

Rumors of concealing casualty data: Press Wing

1h | TBS Today
A team will come from Singapore to treat the injured

A team will come from Singapore to treat the injured

3h | TBS Today
The doctors arrived with bad news

The doctors arrived with bad news

3h | TBS Today
People flocked to donate blood

People flocked to donate blood

4h | TBS Today
EMAIL US
contact@tbsnews.net
FOLLOW US
WHATSAPP
+880 1847416158
The Business Standard
  • About Us
  • Contact us
  • Sitemap
  • Advertisement
  • Privacy Policy
  • Comment Policy
Copyright © 2025
The Business Standard All rights reserved
Technical Partner: RSI Lab

Contact Us

The Business Standard

Main Office -4/A, Eskaton Garden, Dhaka- 1000

Phone: +8801847 416158 - 59

Send Opinion articles to - oped.tbs@gmail.com

For advertisement- sales@tbsnews.net