The taxi operating system Uber has changed in the UK, henceforth its drivers are called workers, which is the type between employee and self-employed. So drivers get the legal minimum wage, holiday pay and pension. This intermediate type does not exist in the Netherlands, which means that this decision does not directly affect the situation of Dutch Uber drivers.
Uber’s decision to label Uber drivers as ‘workers’ follows a ruling by the UK Supreme Court in February. The ruling is the final part of a process initiated in 2016 by 25 drivers. According to the Supreme Court, drivers are not really self-employed because they have no control over fares and Uber controls all interactions with customers.
Unions: Payment while waiting
Although Uber initially said the verdict was about a small group of drivers, they have now changed course. This week, the company announced that more than 70,000 UK drivers are entitled to the benefits of a ‘worker’ as of Wednesday. In practice, the US company will pay its British drivers a legal minimum wage (4 10.41), as well as holiday pay and pensions.
Despite Uber’s decline, British driving associations were not satisfied. For example, drivers receive the minimum wage only when they are traveling, not when they are waiting for passengers. The latter account for almost a third of the time recorded in their application.
Not applicable in the Netherlands
Attorney and employment law lecturer Johann Schwemmer explains that this court decision cannot be translated directly into the situation in our country, as there are only two types of employment self-employed and employee in the Netherlands N.R.C. From. However, cases are pending against the taxi service here. For example, FNV did this in December last year to enforce that the platform complies with the Joint Labor Agreement for Taxi Transport. The union expects to hear the case by the end of March.
