Uber has lost another court case in relation to the employment status of it’s drivers, this time in The Netherlands. The Federation of Dutch Trade Unions argued that approximately 4,000 Uber drivers working in the Dutch capital should be entitled to certain workers’ rights. The Amsterdam District Court agreed that drivers should be classed as employees and should be granted benefits in line with the taxi sector in the region.
This means that Uber faces increased costs to comply with the agreement which sets pay requirements and covers benefits like sick pay. The court also ordered Uber to pay €50,000 in costs.
The court rejected Uber’s usual argument that it’s just a technology platform connecting people and services. Instead they concluded that drivers are only self-employed in their contracts, but not in practice. The court concluded that the relationship between Uber and its drivers meets all of the characteristics of an employment contract, and should be treated as such.
The judges highlighted the nature of the service being provided by drivers and the fact Uber exerts controls over how they can work and earn through its app and algorithms.
As is now the norm in these cases, Uber rejected the Dutch Court’s ruling. Uber announced they would launch an appeal, stating that the company had “no plans to employ drivers in the Netherlands”.
