Amazon is facing a lawsuit from over 1,400 UK delivery drivers seeking minimum wage and holiday pay.
This comes as the ecommerce giant lost a bid to throw out three sample lawsuits. Amazon delivery drivers are now taking action against the company in a London employment tribunal, arguing they should be classed as employees rather than self-employed contractors.
According to Reuters, Amazon, which applied to throw the claims at a hearing last month, claims it has no contractual relationship with the delivery drivers.
However, yesterday a judge ruled that the lawsuits could proceed. The tribunal ruled that it could not be “virtually certain” that the drivers would not be able to establish that they have a “worker relationship” with the ecommerce giant.
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The claimants’ lawyer Kate Robinson said that the ruling was a “huge success” for the drivers.
She said: “Amazon needs to recognise the value of the drivers delivering on their behalf and give them the rights we believe they are entitled to.”
An Amazon spokesperson told Reuters: “We’re hugely proud of the drivers who work with our partners across the country, getting our customers what they want, when they want, wherever they are.
“We are committed to ensuring these drivers are fairly compensated by the delivery companies they work with and are treated with respect, and this is reflected by the positive feedback we hear from drivers every day.”
The news comes as Amazon workers in the UK are planning further industrial action against the online giant over an “insulting” 50p an hour pay rise.
