Catherwood LibraryILR School

Uber Technologies continues to defend its practice of labeling drivers as “self-employed” and not as direct employees of the company as representatives maintained the legality of their business model at an employment appeal tribunal in London today. Having garnered a slew of criticism on an international level for its controversial employment strategy, Uber continues to assert that it does not have to provide Uber drivers with benefits, collective bargaining rights, and the like as these workers are technically “self-employed” and therefore ineligible for the rights and privileges of regular employees under most labor law. Uber has skirted labor regulations since its inception using this argument but drivers are increasingly adamant about claiming their rights as hundreds of workers led by union leaders protested on the streets of London against Uber’s license to operate in London. With Denmark and Hungary banning Uber’s services due to these perceived workers’ rights violations, it is uncertain how Uber will uphold its “self-employment” argument in the long-run.