Deliveroo riders lose latest legal battle over collective bargaining rights

Latest decision upholds ruling that delivery service riders are not workers or employees

Deliveroo riders have lost the latest round of their legal battle to win collective bargaining rights.

The High Court upheld a ruling by the Central Arbitration Committee last year, that a collective bargaining unit could not be formed by riders from the takeaway delivery service, because they were not workers or employees.

The Independent Workers Union of Great Britain (IWGB), which represented the Deliveroo riders, said it will appeal the High Court’s decision.

IWGB general secretary Dr Jason Moyer-Lee said: “Today’s judgement is a terrible one, not just in terms of what it means for low paid Deliveroo riders, but also in terms of understanding the European Convention on Human Rights.

“Deliveroo riders should be entitled to basic worker rights, as well as to the ability to be represented by trade unions to negotiate pay and terms and conditions. The IWGB will appeal this decision and continue to fight for these rights until we are victorious.”

Dan Warne, UK managing director of Deliveroo, said the company was pleased with the ruling.

“In addition to emphatically confirming this under UK national law, the court also carefully examined the question under European law, and concluded riders are self-employed,” he said.

“This a victory for riders who have consistently told us the flexibility to choose when and where they work, which comes with self-employment, is their number one reason for riding with Deliveroo.

“We will continue to seek to offer riders more security and make the case that government should end the trade off in Britain between flexibility and security.”