United Kingdom: Uber and Deliveroo in plea for greater protection of freelance workers

When questioned by a UK parliamentary commission over how the so-called gig economy’s boom has affected the country’s social protection system, bosses at the mobile application Uber and the food delivery service Deliveroo made a stunning call for reforms, which would allow them to guarantee more rights for the workers that deliver the services they offer. However, these two sector heavyweights outright refuse any idea that involves their freelance workers being paid a salary. That said, they have also admitted for the first time that they would not go out of business if they could no longer depend on the mass of freelancers.
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Speaking to the Work and Pensions Committee on 22 February, Dan Warne, Deliveroo’s managing director, said: “We are very supportive of the idea if perhaps you have certain riders who work longer hours they should be entitled to benefits,” a statement which indicated the boss is in favour of a reform of the gig economy, which is based on the employment of independent workers who deliver the firms’ services but have no rights. “We’re restricted from providing some benefits that we as a business w

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