The Left Group in the European Parliament does not want to let digital platforms like Uber steer the discussions on the Digital Platform Workers Directive and organised in Brussels on Thursday 8 September, the ‘Forum on Alternatives to Uberisation’.
This third Forum was brought forward to 8 September to coincide with a European demonstration by taxi and VTC drivers at the European institutions, the French MEP, Leïla Chaibi, Vice-Chair of the Parliament’s Committee on Employment and Social Affairs, told EUROPE, denouncing unfair competition and disregard for social rights.
In addition, a forthcoming hearing on Uber and its lobbying practices with the institutions, revealed before the summer, will take place in the Employment Committee in October.
On the legislative work in progress, if “a first battle has been won” with the presentation of the directive, “lobbyists are starting to wake up”, worried about the effects of this directive, the MEP explained to EUROPE. There are also still forces in the European Parliament trying to “empty the directive of its content”, with most of the battle being over the principle of presumption of salaried status, the criteria for determining this presumption and the fact that workers do not have to go to court themselves to seek reclassification.
Several technical meetings have taken place between the shadow rapporteurs and a further meeting will be held in Strasbourg. (Original version in French by Solenn Paulic)