LONDON – Uber’s claim that its drivers are contractors – and not employees entitled to vacations – was rejected Friday by a British tribunal, in a ruling that may have implications for a range of companies that rely on self-employed workers.
The employment tribunal ruled that the two drivers who brought the action were employees of the ride-hailing service, and so were entitled to paid time off and a guaranteed minimum wage. Uber plans to appeal.
While the ruling may eventually affect as many as 30,000 Uber drivers, it also has implications for more than 100,000 independent contractors in Britain’s so-called gig economy, where people work job-to-job with little security and few employment rights.
ISLAMABAD –Wielding batons and firing rounds of tear gas, Pakistani riot police on Friday clashed with stone-throwing supporters of cricketer-turned-politician Imran Khan who rallied in the capital in defiance of a government-imposed ban on demonstrations.
The clashes erupted as supporters of Khan’s Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf opposition party tried to make their way toward his residence in Islamabad for a rally he had called for the previous evening.
The violence prompted Khan to announce he will go ahead with a planned “million men” march on Wednesday in Islamabad to force the Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to resign.
Khan said he was not afraid of arrest.
UNITED NATIONS – The General Assembly voted Russia off the UN Human Rights Council on Friday, a stunning rebuke to the country which is increasingly being accused of war crimes over its actions in Syria.
The 193-member General Assembly elected 14 members to the 47-nation council, the U.N.’s main body charged with promoting and protecting human rights.
Russia, which received 112 votes, lost its regional seat to Hungary, with 144 votes, and Croatia with 112 votes.
Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, China, Brazil, Rwanda, Hungary, Cuba, South Africa, Japan, Tunisia, the U.S. and U.K. all won seats on the council. Guatemala was the only country running for a seat beside Russia to not be elected.
Associated Press
