Uber has reached a settlement agreement to pay A$271.8 million ($178.3 million; £140 million) to resolve a lawsuit in Australia, as stated by a law firm representing taxi operators and drivers.
Maurice Blackburn Lawyers initiated the class action on behalf of more than 8,000 taxi and hire car owners and drivers, alleging income loss due to the aggressive expansion of the ride-hailing giant in the country.
“Uber fought tooth and nail at every point along the way,” remarked the law firm.
In response, Uber stated, “Since 2018, Uber has made significant contributions to various state-level taxi compensation schemes, and with today’s proposed settlement, we put these legacy issues firmly in our past.” However, the company did not disclose the exact amount of the settlement.
“It would be inappropriate to comment on specifics until the agreement is finalized and the settlement is disclosed to the court,” Uber added.
The class action against Uber was filed in 2019 in the Supreme Court of Australia’s Victoria state.
“This case succeeded where so many others have failed. In Victoria, Queensland, and Western Australia, cases were brought against governments, and all of them failed,” noted Maurice Blackburn principal lawyer Michael Donelly. “What our group members asked for was not another set of excuses – but an outcome – and today we have delivered it for them,” he added.
Before any payout can be disbursed, the court must approve the proposed settlement as being in the best interests of group members.
Headquartered in San Francisco and founded in 2009, Uber operates in approximately 70 countries and over 10,000 cities worldwide. Over the years, it has encountered protests from taxi drivers in numerous cities globally.
In December 2023, Uber prevailed in a lawsuit brought against it by 2,500 taxi drivers in France. A Paris commercial court ruled that Uber had not engaged in acts of unfair competition, dismissing the taxi drivers’ claim seeking €455 million ($495.4 million; £389 million).
