Addison Lee attempts 'nonsense' new hearing

Private Hire giant Addison Lee is attempting a new workers rights hearing at the Employment Tribunal, despite already losing the case.

At a hearing today [Thursday 30 March] solicitors Leigh Day – acting on behalf of 500 claimants (including many GMB members) – will call for the case to be thrown out.

The original case, brought by GMB, saw both the Employment Tribunal in 2017 and the Employment Appeal Tribunal in 2018 reject Addison Lee’s arguments that their drivers are self-employed contractors running their own businesses.

Then in 2021 the Court of Appeal ruled they will not be able to fight the decision.

The company is now claiming changes to their operating model means any further claims must go to the tribunal again.

If the tribunal does allow the case to progress, GMB and Leigh Day are calling for Addison Lee to pay up to £500,000 for wasting everyone’s time pursuing parts of a defence that are so unlikely to succeed.

Steve Garelick, GMB National Lead for Taxi and Private Hire, said:

"Addison Lee says they’ve changed their mode of operation – and that means the new claims have to be heard from the start.

“As far as we are concerned, that’s nonsense and we are asking the tribunal to throw the case out.

“Other operators like Uber have managed to reach agreement with its workers, there’s no reason why Addison Lee can’t do the same

“Is this just a money saving exercise or an attempt to keep funds in the bank for as long as possible?”