Uber drivers set to join trade union

Uber and The Association of Independent Professionals and the Self-Employed (IPSE) are allegedly set to strike a deal which could see the private hire company's 80,000 British drivers obtain union representation.

Uber drivers as well as Uber Eats workers, could join IPSE as individuals but with the backing of Uber themselves.

Joining IPSE will give drivers access to private healthcare, various insurance services, tax advice, as well as a coice to lobby parliament.

With the gig  economy under close scrutiny from a multitude of different organisations, this could be seen as a huge step towards protecting the working rights of not just the 80,000 Uber workers,  but in excess of 5,000,000 people operating in the gig economy.

This possible deal comes directly on the back of the Supreme Coirts decision to reject Pimlico Plumbers appeal against one of their ex-workers,  Gary Smith, who succesfully argued that he was in fact a Pimlico Plumbers employee and not self-employed.

This potential deal between Uber and IPSE could also be seen as another sweetener in relation to Uber's upcoming appeal against TfLs decision to refuse to renew Uber's operators licence.