A London-based Uber driver has told an employment tribunal that he earned less than the minimum wage and felt significant pressure to work long hours and accept jobs he did not want to, for fear of repercussions from the company. The driver, James Farrar, has driven for Uber since 2014 and claimed he often earned little more than £5 an hour. An Uber driver told a British tribunal on Wednesday he had earned less than the minimum wage, despite the firm saying he received nearly three times as much, in a case that could threaten the app’s business model. Farrar said his employer had been “very aggressive” in trying to get him to drive longer hours, which would have meant working on weekends or evenings, but he refused. The case, which is being monitored by unions and employment lawyers globally, is expected to continue until 26 June, although a final decision regarding Uber’s employment practices is not expected for several weeks.
A London-based Uber driver has told an employment tribunal that he earned less than the minimum wage and felt significant pressure to work long hours and accept jobs he did not want to, for fear of repercussions from the company. The driver, James Farrar, has driven for Uber since 2014 and claimed he often earned little more than £5 an hour. Farrar said his employer had been “very aggressive” in trying to get him to drive longer hours, which would have meant working on weekends or evenings, but he refused. The case, which is being monitored by unions and employment lawyers globally, is expected to continue until 26 June, although a final decision regarding Uber’s employment practices is not expected for several weeks.