Britain’s top court ruled Tuesday that riders for one of the country’s biggest meal delivery companies do not have collective bargaining rights because they are not employees, a decision that may have broad implications for the gig economy in the U.K.
The Supreme Court’s ruling came in a case filed by the Independent Workers Union of Great Britain, which had sought to represent riders who deliver takeout meals for Deliveroo, which competes with firms such as Uber Eats and Just Eat. When Deliveroo refused to negotiate, the union appealed, arguing that the company was violating rights guaranteed by the European Convention on Human Rights.
