The Supreme Court Says Uber Workers Are Employees

 In the The Metro (18/3/21) is the headline: "Gig is up for zero hours, say unions". The Supreme Court  has ruled Uber taxi drivers are employees--not contractors as the firm argued--and therefore eligible for more rights under Employment Law.

Uber has decided to give its 70,000 drivers--reluctantly we can imagine--a guaranteed minimum wage, holiday pay and pensions. 

 The ruling 'opens the door' for other gig economy workers to get better wages and conditions, unions say.

The decision 'should mark the end of the road for bogus self-employment' said Mick Rix of  The GMB Union, which engaged in a five-year legal battle against Uber.

Francis O'Grady, General Secretary of The TUC, vowed to take the fight 'to the next level'. 'Gig workers deserve the same basic rights as everybody else. Unions won't rest until pay and conditions have improved', she added.

Uber said it was 'proud' [are they ?] to be making changes which will see all drivers be automatically enrolled in a pension plan. Once workers have accepted a trip request, they will be guaranteed the national live wage of £8.72 an hour, after expenses. They make £14 an hour (£17 in London) but now have added security Uber have also claimed. 

Former Uber driver James Farrar, whose claim against Uber was a catalyst for the launch of the long legal fight, said his old work colleagues are still being short-changed.

James wants them to be paid from when they log in, not when a trip is accepted. He said, 'Waiting is working. We are not there yet,' he also added.

The Supreme Court's ruling that the Uber drivers are employees is nothing strange to Socialists. If you rely solely on a wage or a salary you are a member of The Working Class.

In a Socialist society I expect there will be a different approach to transport where the priority is to have only vehicles on the road that don't damage the environment.

Taxi drivers might want to pursue other interests too.

Socialism will have no employees and no employers. It will be a world without money. There will be free access to what is produced. You will take what you need when you need  it and for free.