French courtroom orders Uber to pay some $18 million to drivers, firm to enchantment

By Tassilo Hummel

PARIS (Reuters) – French courtroom on Friday ordered Uber to pay round 17 million euros ($18.43 million) in damages and misplaced salaries to a gaggle of drivers who argued they need to have been handled like staff quite than self-employed, each events to the case advised Reuters.

“It is a enormous victory after an extended authorized battle which began in 2020”, stated lawyer Stephane Teyssier who represented the 139 drivers that had introduced the case earlier than the Conseil des Prud’hommes labour courtroom in Lyon.

The courtroom determined that the work relationship of his purchasers ought to have been certified as employment contracts, which signifies that Uber ought to have reimbursed them for skilled bills like the acquisition of a automotive, gasoline and extra time, he added.

Uber stated it could enchantment, including: “We’re decided to make progress on the problem of platform employees’ rights and are satisfied that the suitable means ahead is thru social dialogue with drivers’ representatives.”

The ruling solely applies to the previous and doesn’t imply the drivers essentially have worker standing going ahead, Teyssier stated.

The problem of how you can qualify the authorized standing of gig financial system employees on on-line platforms in sectors like ride-hailing or meals supply is being debated in lots of nations.

Platforms argue that employees are impartial and may select how a lot and when work, whereas employees and unions usually argue they need to be given the identical advantages as staff as they rely upon the platforms to earn their residing.

The Uber spokesperson stated it was the corporate’s purpose “to construct a mannequin that preserves the pliability they need whereas guaranteeing concrete enhancements of their working situations.”

In 2020, France’s high courtroom first acknowledged the suitable of an Uber driver to be thought of an worker, a ruling that has affected the U.S. agency’s enterprise mannequin, requiring it to pay extra taxes and advantages to employees corresponding to paid holidays.

Earlier this month, Uber introduced a landmark sector cope with drivers in France, guaranteeing a minimal of seven.65 euros web ($8.25) per journey, establishing a precedent after months of bargaining talks.

($1 = 0.9223 euros)

(Reporting by Tassilo Hummel; Enhancing by Aurora Ellis)