Labour shadow business secretary calls Uber "morally unacceptable"

Using Uber is not morally acceptable, according to a senior Labour shadow cabinet figure. Shadow business secretary Rebecca Long-Bailey accused the taxi service of "exploiting" drivers ahead of Prime Minister Theresa May address on workers' rights surrounding the gig economy.  

Ms Long-Bailey is quoted saying via the BBC: "I don't personally use Uber because I don't feel like it's morally acceptable, but that's not to say that they can't reform their practices.

"I don't like the way that they are exploiting their workers, and I think the recent case proved that in the courts, that suggested that the workers that were there were in fact workers, and they weren't flexible workers, and they needed to be given the adequate amount of protection and rights that workers enjoy. "I don't want to see companies model their operation on the Uber model. "Uber, for example, have been exploiting workers, and exploiting flexible arrangements that are in place. And it's important to have flexibility in the workplace, but it has to be two-way flexibility. It has to be flexibility that's enjoyed by the worker and the employer." There has been much debate as a review into the employment rights of workers in the gig economy, ordered by the government, which calls for fairer jobs to be created, was attacked by the opposition and not doing enough to combat exploitation.

It is a sentiment very much supported by TaxiPoint. The reports suggest creating a new category for workers associated with the gig economy companies. However, there are some reassurances of change especially around holiday and sick pay.

We await to see the final review papers.