Top UK court rules Deliveroo riders not entitled to collective bargaining

Top UK court rules Deliveroo riders not entitled to collective bargaining

They cannot be represented by a trade union because they are not considered as 'workers'.

Deliveroo riders are not entitled to compulsory collective bargaining as they don’t have an ’employment relationship’ with the firm. (AFP pic)
LONDON:
Food delivery firm Deliveroo’s riders cannot be represented by a trade union for the purposes of collective bargaining, the UK’s Supreme Court ruled today.

The Independent Workers Union of Great Britain (IWGB) had tried to represent a group of Deliveroo riders in order to negotiate pay and conditions with the company.

The union was first refused permission in 2017 on the basis that riders were not “workers” under UK labour law and it has since mounted a number of appeals.

The IWGB took its case to the UK’s highest court in April, arguing that it was an unlawful interference with riders’ human rights to deny the IWGB’s application to be recognised by Deliveroo for collective bargaining.

But the Supreme Court unanimously dismissed the IWGB’s appeal in a ruling today.

Announcing the court’s decision, judge Vivien Rose said Deliveroo riders do not have an “employment relationship” with Deliveroo and were not entitled to compulsory collective bargaining.

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