Uber has reached a settlement agreement to pay A$271.8 million (equivalent to $178.3 million or £140 million) to resolve a lawsuit in Australia.
The lawsuit, filed by Maurice Blackburn Lawyers on behalf of over 8,000 taxi and hire car owners and drivers, claimed that they suffered income losses due to Uber’s aggressive entry into the Australian market.
The law firm stated that Uber vigorously contested the case throughout the legal process.
Uber acknowledged making significant contributions to state-level taxi compensation schemes since 2018 and viewed the proposed settlement as a step towards resolving past issues.
The specific details of the settlement were not disclosed by Uber, pending finalization and court approval.
The class action was initiated in 2019 in Victoria state’s Supreme Court, where it succeeded while similar cases against governments in Victoria, Queensland, and Western Australia had previously failed.
Michael Donelly, principal lawyer at Maurice Blackburn, noted the importance of delivering an outcome for their group members rather than excuses.
The court must still approve the settlement before any payments can be made to the affected parties.
Uber, headquartered in San Francisco and founded in 2009, operates globally in over 70 countries and more than 10,000 cities.
It has encountered protests from taxi drivers in various cities worldwide but recently won a lawsuit in France where 2,500 taxi drivers had accused Uber of unfair competition.
Source-BBC
