Great Britain: Deliveroo riders deemed self-employed and cannot have union representation

In a claim by the Independent Workers Union of Great Britain (IWGB) made in 2016 for it to be recognised as the Deliveroo riders' representative and as such able to negotiate for this group (c.f. article No. 9914) the Central Arbitration Committee (CAC), as arbiter of union recognition dispute, has ruled that these riders are self-employed and thus can not be represented by a trade union body. Recent changes to the riders' contracts, especially as regards the ability to be substituted by another rider were key factors in the decision, which Deliveroo claimed as a victory. Unions are disappointed  by this decision that runs counter to earlier judicial rulings against gig economy businesses.