Uber was ordered by the Lyon industrial tribunal to pay some 17 million euros to 139 VTC drivers, their lawyer, Me Stéphane Teyssier, announced on Friday January 20.
“We had a pretty historic decision today. Uber was ordered to requalify the contracts of 139 drivers for an amount of 17 to 20 million euros”he said, confirming information from the regional daily Progress. The Lyonnais Uber drivers had seized the prud’hommes to requalify the relationship which bound them into an employment contract.
The prud’hommes, who rendered their decision under advisement, pronounced “on the basis of well-established case law from the Court of Cassation of January 2020. The Court of Cassation found that Uber drivers should be considered as employees. It is not a surprise. It is the logical application of such case law.said the lawyer.
Uber will appeal the decision
Contacted, Uber, without communicating the amount of the sum it will have to pay, announced that it was going to appeal.
Minimum rate for VTC drivers: a historic but disputed agreement
“This decision goes against the position widely shared by industrial tribunals and courts of appeal which confirm the independence of VTC drivers using the application, judging in particular that there is no work obligation, neither exclusivity vis-à-vis Uber nor that the drivers remain completely free in the organization of their activity “commented a spokesperson, contacted by AFP.