Tory MPs demand law change to protect workers after landmark Uber case
Tory MPs demand law change to protect workers from ‘ruthless’ firms after Uber drivers won landmark case
- Supreme Court ruled that Uber drivers must be treated as workers by company
- Landmark judgement means they should get minimum wage and paid holidays
- Tories MPs pushing ministers for legislation to prevent ‘abuses’ against workers by ‘ruthless firms’
Ministers are under pressure from Conservative MPs to change the law following the ‘landmark’ court ruling which stated Uber drivers must be treated as workers.
Paul Scully, a business minister, said the Government is committed to ‘continue to look at workers and workers’ rights’ in the wake of the Supreme Court decision.
But several MPs, including senior Conservatives, want the Government to go further and bring forward legislation to deal with ‘ruthless’ firms and prevent ‘abuses’ against workers.
Lawyers say the court ruling means ride-hailing giant Uber’s drivers will be entitled to workers’ rights such as holiday pay and compensation for lost pay.
Ministers are under pressure from Conservative MPs to change the law following the ‘landmark’ court ruling which stated Uber drivers must be treated as workers and are entitled to paid holiday and minimum wage
Speaking in the Commons, Conservative former trade minister Sir Edward Leigh, said: ‘May I urge the Government in these matters not to take an Uber free market approach and to recall that the Conservative Party has a long history of defending workers from ruthless entrepreneurs.’
He added: ‘Can the minister be absolutely robust today and say following the questions from (shadow minister Andy McDonald) that we believe this judgment is a landmark judgment and Uber must now accept that their hard-working drivers, many of them who have come from abroad and deserve protecting, are employed and deserve all the rights of fully employed people?’
Mr Scully said Uber and other operators within the gig economy will be ‘looking at that judgment’, adding: ‘It’s important they do respond accordingly and Government will also respond accordingly as we always recognise the valuable contributions made by those working in the gig economy.’
Conservative Damian Collins added the Supreme Court had made a ‘landmark ruling’.
Sir Edward Leigh (left) and Damian Collins (right) were among the MPs calling for a change to the law
He said: ‘Many people will be concerned that companies like Uber shouldn’t be left to interpret what that means to themselves, and will see disparity between the way different companies employing workers in the gig economy work – for example, a deliverer for Just Eat is an employee but one for Deliveroo is not.
‘Will (Mr Scully) give serious consideration to the Government legislating to create a level playing field now and to stop these abuses?’
Mr Scully replied: ‘We’ll clearly look at employee conditions and make sure employees can understand their conditions and their status and tax payment conditions.’
He said different companies have different contracts and the Government must have something which examines that.
Lawyers say the court ruling means ride-hailing giant Uber’s drivers will be entitled to workers’ rights such as holiday pay and compensation for lost pay
Conservative former cabinet minister Theresa Villiers added: ‘Uber should be paying their drivers more because that’s good for those drivers but also good for the licensed taxi drivers who feel they’ve been subjected to competition from Uber in recent years which is aggressive, unfair and predatory.’
Labour’s Mike Amesbury (Weaver Vale) said Uber must ‘face up to its legal and moral responsibilities’, adding: ‘It’s time to legislate, legislate, legislate.’
Wes Streeting, Labour MP for Ilford North, added: ‘These issues can’t just be left to the courts and in this David versus Goliath battle between big multinational companies that are exploiting workers, avoiding tax and flouting safety rules, people need to see the Government on their side.’
Responding to an urgent question from Labour, Mr Scully earlier said: ‘We are committed to continue to look at workers and workers’ rights and also make sure that we can have a careful consideration of all of the questions in the round about the various workers’ status, the various workers’ rights whilst keeping flexibility within our employment market.’
Jamie Heywood, General Manager of Uber in the UK, said: ‘We respect the court’s decision, which focused on a small number of drivers who used the Uber app in 2016.
‘Since then we have made some significant changes to our business, guided by drivers every step of the way.’
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