Uber has reached a settlement of A$271.8m ($178.3m; £140m) in Australia, as reported by a law firm representing taxi operators and drivers.
Maurice Blackburn Lawyers has initiated a class action representing more than 8,000 taxi and hire car owners and drivers.
The case claimed that their income was affected when the ride-hailing giant entered the country in a forceful manner.
“Uber fiercely contested every step of the process,” the law firm stated.
“Uber stated that it has made substantial contributions to state-level taxi compensation schemes since 2018, and with the proposed settlement, they aim to leave these past issues behind,” according to a statement from Uber.
The company did not reveal the magnitude of the proposed settlement.
“We are unable to provide any details or comments at this time, as we must wait for the agreement to be finalized and disclosed to the court,” it stated.
A class action was initiated against Uber in 2019 in the Supreme Court of Victoria, Australia.
“This case achieved a rare victory in a landscape of frequent disappointments.” According to Maurice Blackburn principal lawyer Michael Donelly, the cases brought against governments in Victoria, Queensland, and Western Australia all failed.
“What our group members requested was not another round of justifications – but a result – and today we have provided it for them,” he stated.
Prior to any payout, the court must still give its approval to the proposed settlement, ensuring it is in the best interests of all group members.
Based in San Francisco Uber, established in 2009, has a presence in approximately 70 countries and over 10,000 cities worldwide.
In various cities across the globe, taxi drivers have staged protests against it over the years.
In December 2023, the company emerged victorious in a legal battle against 2,500 taxi drivers in France.
A Paris commercial court has ruled in favor of Uber, stating that the company did not engage in any unfair competition.
The taxi drivers had been demanding a substantial amount of money.
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