Uber drivers worldwide are staging a “log-out” today to protest its compensation policies ahead of the ride-hailing company’s IPO, which is due to take place Friday, CNN reports. Meanwhile, a Swiss court has ruled that a former Uber driver was an employee of the ride-sharing firm, not an independent contractor, in what the driver’s attorney hails as a “potentially landmark decision,” France 24 reports.
Strike. Uber drivers around the world are logging out of the company’s app Wednesday to protest its compensation policies ahead of its initial public offering, which is expected on Friday. Workers also plan to hold rallies in select cities.
In San Diego and Los Angeles, drivers are slated to cease working for 24 hours. In Atlanta, workers plan to log off ride-hail apps for 12 hours. And in New York City, drivers were expected to strike during the morning commute hours of 7 a.m. to 9 a.m.
The message from participants: Uber needs to offer its drivers job security and higher wages. The company’s IPO could raise roughly $10 billion for the ride-hailing company, according to CNN.
Swiss court. A Swiss labor courts has ruled a driver alleging wrongful termination was an employee and not an independent contractor. The complainant was a driver between April 2015 and December 2016 and logged more than 5,600 hours in over 9,000 trips, according to the report. His log-in was revoked after he received a number of bad reviews.
He took his case to the Swiss labor court, claiming he was wrongfully terminated from an employment contract without proper notice, a violation of Swiss law, and demanded back-pay for holidays among other benefits. The ruling by the labor court in Lausanne has not been made public, according to France 24.
In late April, Uber noted in its IPO prospectus filing that “Swiss government bodies currently classify driver partners as employees of Uber Switzerland for social security purposes” and that the company is challenging each of them. It is not clear whether this case was among those referenced.
