United Kingdom: Issued ruling in legal action related to the classification of workers (Independent Workers Union of Great Britain, on Behalf of Deliveroo riders v Central Arbitration Committee)

On 21 November 2023, the United Kingdom Supreme Court ruled that Deliveroo riders are not eligible to form a union or engage in collective bargaining with the company due to the absence of an employment relationship. This decision upholds the original 2017 ruling by the Central Arbitration Committee (CAC), which determined that Deliveroo riders do not meet the legal definition of “worker” and thus cannot collectively bargain. The Independent Workers Union of Great Britain (IWGB) had appealed to the Supreme Court, arguing that denying union recognition based on the domestic definition of "worker" violated Article 11 of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR), which safeguards the rights of peaceful assembly and association. However, the Supreme Court, focusing on the Deliveroo riders' right to substitute another rider for their job, unanimously dismissed the appeal, stating that this substitution right is incompatible with the existence of an employment relationship required under Article 11.