Ontario Uber drivers should not be forced to resolve employment issues through expensive arbitration in the Netherlands, the court of appeal has ruled, calling a provision to that effect in the company’s service agreement an “unfair bargain” for drivers. Lawyer Lior Samfiru said allowing employment issues to be resolved through foreign arbitration clauses would have constituted the “death of employment laws” in Ontario. The class action seeks $400 million in damages on behalf of around 20,000 Uber drivers in Ontario and claims they are Uber employees entitled to rights like minimum wage and overtime pay. Uber argues its drivers are independent contractors, a category of worker that is not covered by employment legislation. “We have employment laws in Ontario,” he said.

Source: thestar January 02, 2019 21:11 UTC