Uber agrees to pay up to $178 million to drivers who claim they lost income after Uber entered the taxi market

Uber, which provides ride-sharing services, has been awarded 272 million Australian dollars (approximately 178 million dollars, approximately 26.6 billion yen in Japanese yen) to the plaintiffs in a class action lawsuit involving more than 8,000 Australian taxi operators. agreed to a settlement offer to pay. The settlement is said to be the fifth largest in Australian history.

Live stream of trial for Uber group proceedings | The Supreme Court of Victoria

https://www.supremecourt.vic.gov.au/news/live-stream-of-trial-for-uber-group-proceedings

Uber to pay $272 million to Australian taxi operators
https://www.smh.com.au/technology/uber-to-pay-272-million-to-australian-taxi-operators-20240318-p5fd4p.html

Uber to Pay Australian Taxi Drivers $178 Million to Settle Suit - Bloomberg
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-03-17/uber-to-pay-australian-taxi-drivers-178-million-to-settle-suit

This class action lawsuit is filed by Maurice Blackburn Law Firm, which claims that ``Uber's introduction of ride-sharing has sharply reduced the income of taxi operators.'' The lawsuit was filed in 2019 on behalf of the company.

The plaintiff claimed that ``Uber was aware that Uber's drivers were not properly licensed or certified, and that Uber's operations in Australia were illegal.''

In response, Uber argued, ``That's innovation, and the rebellious taxi industry is developing a conspiracy using illegal means.''

The trial was scheduled to last until May 17, 2024 in the Supreme Court of Victoria, but ended on the morning of March 18, 2024, when it was announced that both the plaintiff and defendant had reached an agreement.

Uber said in a statement: 'Since 2018, we have made significant contributions to taxi compensation systems in Australian states. With today's settlement, we are putting legacy issues behind us.' states. Additionally, an Uber spokesperson commented that although a settlement has been reached with the plaintiffs, they cannot provide further details until the agreement is finalized and the details of the settlement are disclosed to the court.

Michael Caine, a member of the Australian Transport Workers' Union, said: 'We know this settlement does not right the wrongs of the past, but we can now look to the future and ensure that the industry is safe for all participants. We should focus on how we can set standards to make things better.'

In Australia, the Fair Labor Act will be amended in February 2024 and will come into force in August 2024. According to this revised Fair Labor Act, Uber will be subject to working conditions and minimum wages set by the Fair Labor Commission, and Uber is reported to be in support of this amendment. .