UBER UPDATE
UBER TO LAUNCH UK’S FIRST LOCAL CAB PILOT IN PLYMOUTH
On Thursday 20 May Uber announced a pilot of its new product, ‘Local cab’, which will enable passengers to book a trip
with a local taxi company via the Uber app in Plymouth. This is the first such move following the Competition and Markets Authority’s approval of the acquisition of Auto- cab by Uber last year. Anyone opening the Uber app in Plymouth will see the ‘Local cab’ option which will connect passengers to the taxi firm Need-A-Cab. Users will have to download the latest version of the app to be able to see the Local cab product. Despite the Uber app being opened as many as 16,500 times per month in Plymouth, passengers have not previ- ously been able to book a ride in a local cab. To meet this demand, and enable use of the app beyond the 40 towns and cities Uber currently operates in the UK, Uber is looking to work with local operators across the country. Dave McIntosh at Need-A-Cab , said: “We’re de- lighted to be the first local operator in the UK to pilot ‘Local cab.’ This will give the peo- ple of Plymouth another way to book with Need- A-Cab – and anyone visiting the city, that already uses the Uber app, will now find it easy to book a ride with a local operator. With the boost in passengers, we will also be looking to welcome new drivers to the company.” Ash Kebriti, UK General Manager, Uber, said: “Every month, we see thousands of people in towns and cities across the UK where we currently don’t operate open the Uber app and try to request a trip. Launching this pilot of Local cab in Plymouth is an exciting first step in connect- ing these riders with local operators so that eventually the Uber app can be used anywhere in the country.” The Uber app will integrate with Autocab’s iGo network, which has the potential to connect passengers with 80,000 tax and private hire drivers across the UK.
JUNE 2021
UBER RECOGNISES UNION FOR THE FIRST TIME IN LANDMARK DEAL WITH GMB
The GMB union will have the power to represent UK Uber drivers in discussions over earnings, pen- sions, benefits and their health and well- being.
Mick Rix, national officer at GMB, said it could be “the first step to a fairer work- ing life for millions of people”.
Uber said the move showed its commitment to its 70,000 UK drivers. “While Uber and GMB may not seem like obvious allies, we’ve always agreed that drivers must come first, and today we have struck this important deal to improve workers’ protections,” said Jamie Heywood, regional gen- eral manager for Northern and Eastern Europe.
Why is this important? For years Uber resisted calls to recognise unions, which had criticised the firm for not granting drivers basic rights such as sick pay or a minimum wage. Uber had argued its drivers were freelancers and not enti- tled to these benefits. But in March it changed its stance after the Supreme Court ruled that its drivers should be classified as workers - a category entitling them to better pay and conditions.
Uber ‘willing to change’ as drivers get minimum wage. Now Uber provides drivers with a National Living Wage guarantee, holiday pay and a pension. And by recognising GMB, the ride-hailing giant has gone a step further, giving a union the right to negotiate on behalf of drivers for the first time.
How will this work? The two sides will meet quarterly to discuss driver issues and concerns while Uber has agreed access rights for GMB representatives at driver hubs. Under the agreement, GMB and Uber will discuss topics such as Uber’s National Living Wage guarantee, pensions and holiday pay. Drivers won’t automatically become members, and to be represented by the union, they will have to sign up.
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