From now on, the drivers of Uber are employees of the company

The drivers of the alternative taxi service Uber are employees of the company, not its independent contractors. The Dutch court ruled on Monday that they should also have the rights that belong to employees. The ruling of the Amsterdam District Court means another victory for the unions fighting for the rights of people working in the so-called custom economy, Reuters reported. A similar court ruled in Britain in February. The Amsterdam court sided with the Dutch trade union FNV. It argued that Uber drivers were in fact taxi staff. In this case, they must be entitled to the same salaries and benefits as other drivers in the sector. Uber responded by appealing against the verdict. "We were disappointed by this decision, as we know that the vast majority of drivers want to maintain their independence," said Maurits Schönfeld, Uber's general manager for Northern Europe. "Drivers do not want to give up their freedom to choose whether, when and where to work," he added. On the other hand, the FNV trade union welcomed the court's verdict. As she said, it is a huge victory for drivers, who will be entitled to higher wages and benefits. "Thanks to a court ruling, Uber drivers are now automatically its employees," said FNV Vice President Zakaria Boufangacha, adding: "They will be entitled to a higher salary and will also have greater rights, for example in the event of dismissal or illness."