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As an Uber driver I’m sick and tired of losing out - Asif's story

I’m an Uber driver, so I’m really happy with the growing pressure on my employer, including by my union, GMB. Uber drivers are employed, not self-employed “partners” as the company always says.

This is about keeping hold of the rights and the working requirements that, in this country, we have achieved after fighting for more than a hundred years.

Workers on the ground have made Uber and because of them it has made an enormous amount of profit. The company should also accept their responsibility towards workers and the country that they are operating in by providing the bare minimum of employment rights for their workers.

Uber has long claimed that drivers like me are self-employed and should be treated like business owners – responsible for their own income, outgoings and everything else about being a driver. Now we know for a fact that this is not the case.

In reality, Uber control just about everything I do when working for them. They decide where I go, how much I can charge and which jobs I get. And yet this company does not take any responsibility for my employment.

Up till now, Uber drivers have not been guaranteed a minimum wage – and not every driver always makes the legal minimum. We’re also not entitled to holiday pay and as a result, any time off means a loss of earnings, which can mean a lot when you have bills to pay.

This isn’t just about the drivers, it’s about all the workers in this country that these companies wish to exploit using new smartphones and apps as an excuse.

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