ADCU speaks out against Uber’s false and disingenuous PR campaign on worker rights
We are concerned and distressed by comments from Uber managers to the media in conjunction with the GMB that it is now respecting the worker rights of drivers and now calls on other private hire operators to do the same. We would like to reiterate that Uber has failed to implement the Supreme Court ruling by not paying waiting time, which is about 40% of driver working time. This excess of unpaid labour allows Uber to drive down response time for customers whilst driving up congestion, pollution and poverty for drivers and their communities.
Contrary to the PR hype, Uber continues to litigate against the ADCU and tens of thousands of UK drivers to avoid paying the full working time as ordered by the Supreme Court. In addition, Uber is seeking a High Court declaration that it’s abusive contract model, so heavily criticized by the courts for its role in misclassifying workers, is legal under transport regulation administered by Transport for London. This is a collateral attack by Uber on the Supreme Court ruling and it seeks to delink worker rights protection from its duty to be considered ‘fit and proper’ to be a publicly licensed transport operator. The ADCU is a defendant in this case which will be heard in November 2021.
Uber continues to flout data protection law in the UK and has denied thousands of drivers the right to access their personal data held by Uber and for their right to receive an explanation of the algorithmic management Uber drivers are subjected to. Many drivers have been unfairly dismissed due to Uber’s unfair and racially biased facial recognition system used in identity checks. The ADCU will be back in court against Uber in the Netherlands on behalf of its members to protect their digital rights.
ADCU General Secretary, President and Supreme Court litigants James Farrar and Yaseen Aslam said:
We are appalled by Uber’s on-going PR campaign which deliberately misinforms the public and policy makers about its true position on worker rights. Uber continues to be in violation of UK employment law, is failing to implement the Supreme Court ruling and is in ongoing litigation with tens of thousands of drivers representing the majority of its workforce. It has started new litigation in the High Court against the ADCU and others to undermine the Supreme Court ruling, to avoid £2.5 billion in back VAT payments and to cut the link between worker rights and it’s duty to obey all laws as a publicly licensed transport operator. This corporate media campaign is not only offensive to hardworking Uber drivers, but frankly, it is a propaganda campaign corrosive to the public interest.
