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Uber workers rights verdict: Taxi app loses landmark minimum wage case Uber workers rights verdict: Taxi app loses landmark minimum wage case
(35 minutes later)
Uber drivers are workers and are entitled to receive the National Minimum Wage and holiday pay, the Employment Tribunal ruled today Uber drivers are entitled to receive the National Minimum Wage and holiday pay because they are workers, not self-employed, the Employment Tribunal ruled today,
Uber drivers are not self-employed but are workers who are entitled to the National Minimum Wage as well as essential workers’ rights such as holiday pay, the tribunal ruled. The landmark ruling will affect tens of thousands of Uber drivers, and potentially millions of people working in the gig economy. In a landmark ruling that could have implications for millions of workers, the tribunal rejected Uber's argument that the drivers do not work for Uber, but merely use its technology. As workers they are entitled to essential workers’ rights, such as sick pay and holiday. The case will directly affect tens of thousands of Uber drivers.
This is the first time that Uber has faced legal action in the UK over whether its drivers are workers or self-employed. This is the first time that Uber has faced legal action in the UK over whether its drivers are workers or self-employed. 
The tribunal rejected Uber's asertion that it is just a technology company, not a taxi provider. Uber claimed drivers do not work for Uber but instead work for themselves as self-employed business men and women. The GMB union, which brought the case, described the ruling as a “monumental victory” for some 30,000 drivers.
Nigel Mackay from the Employment team at law firm Leigh Day which represents the drivers, said: 
“We are delighted that the Employment Tribunal has found in favour of our clients. 
“This judgment acknowledges the central contribution that Uber’s drivers have made to Uber’s success by confirming that its drivers are not self-employed but that they work for Uber as part of the company’s business.    
Lawyers said the ruling means Uber will now have to fund costly benefits and may look to fund these by increasing its commission, or the fares it charges to customers. 
Frank Ryan an Employment Lawyer as Vardags said the ruling is a "green light fo others in the gig economy to come forward and make similar claims".
Aye Limbin Glassey, employment partner at Shakespeare Martineau, says:“The ruling will not only impact Uber but a whole number of other industries and businesses which use self-employed workers. It is by no means the end of the issue - continued pressure from trade unions calling for tighter regulations means that the Uber ruling will likely be a catalyst for further scrutiny," 
Jo Bertram of Uber said: "“Tens of thousands of people in London drive with Uber precisely because they want to be self-employed and their own boss. The overwhelming majority of drivers who use the Uber app want to keep the freedom and flexibility of being able to drive when and where they want. While the decision of this preliminary hearing only affects two people we will be appealing it.” 
The drivers, James Farrar had said that their actions were controlled by Uber, so therefore they were emplyed by the company. 
Research by the Resolution foundation found.elf-employed workers are paid less now than they were two decades ago, 
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