Worker victories over gig economy giants A growing number of countries are taking on gig economy giants like Uber, Bolt and Deliveroo who routinely treat their workers as freelancers without normal labour rights. The European Union is the latest to act with its executive tabling plans Thursday that could force them to treat their workers as fully-fledged employees.
The country's left-wing government acted after the supreme court ruled on the issue. The British takeaway food delivery app Deliveroo pulled out of Spain in November, but other platforms have decided to adapt, or tried to get around the law.
Prosecutors in Milan initially began looking at working conditions for delivery riders following a spate of road accidents, and the probe was eventually extended throughout the country. In February prosecutors told Foodinho-Glovo, Uber Eats Italy, Just Eat Italy and Deliveroo Italy that their riders cannot be considered as freelancers but as employees who receive wages. Under the deal reached with the delivery platforms -- which makes no mention of riders' legal status -- they will have to spend millions improving conditions for their 20,000 riders. Unions, however, are taking cases through the courts.
But at the end of November, an appeal court in the capital said a 2015 ban on private individuals offering taxi services also applies to apps like Uber.
Its 70,000 drivers there will now earn at least the minimum wage when driving for the taxi app.
The state of California voted in 2019 to recognise gig economy workers as employees but digital giants including Uber and Lyft refused to comply with the law. Instead, they bankrolled a referendum that effectively overturned it. Under it, drivers and delivery riders remain independent contractors but are to be paid minimum wages and a contribution to healthcare and insurance.
And Deliveroo and three former directors will appear in a Paris court next March charged with "not declaring a large number of jobs".
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