Uber to roll out pension plans for UK drivers, Auto News, ET Auto

Uber Technologies said it would start rolling out its pension plan to all eligible drivers in the United Kingdom, months after the ride-hailing service granted workers’ rights to its drivers in the country.

In March, Uber had reclassified its more than 70,000 drivers in Britain as workers following a Supreme Court ruling. Uber had also said it would offer guaranteed entitlements, including holiday pay, a pension plan and limited minimum wage.

On Friday, the Silicon Valley company said it would contribute 3% of a driver’s earnings into a pension plan, while drivers can choose to contribute a minimum of 5% of their qualifying earnings.

Britain’s GMB union represents Uber’s drivers in the country, and has the right to negotiate on behalf of the workforce.

Uber and GMB also urged other ride-hailing companies like Ola, Bolt and Addison Lee to offer similar benefits to their drivers.

“I am extending an invitation to work with operators such as Bolt, Addison Lee and Ola to create a cross-industry pension scheme. This will enable all drivers to save for their futures whilst working across multiple platforms,” said Jamie Heywood, an executive for Uber’s northern and eastern European region.

Uber’s drivers will be auto-enrolled in a pension scheme provided by NOW: Pensions and managed by workplace solutions provider Adecco, the company added.

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Uber said on Tuesday it was expecting adjusted EBITDA, a profitability metric it uses, to breakeven in the third quarter. It forecast between a loss of $25 million and a profit of $25 million, compared with the prior forecast of a loss of $100 million.

“This is the first product from Uber’s High Capacity Vehicles programme to be launched in India which has been specifically developed keeping in mind the unique challenges faced by office-goers in India and other emerging markets,” it said.

The Amsterdam District Court sided with the Federation of Dutch Trade Unions, which had argued that Uber drivers are in fact employees of a taxi company and should be granted the same pay and benefits as other workers in the sector.