Uber has agreed to settle a lawsuit in Australia for A$271.8m ($178.3m; £140m) with taxi operators and drivers, according to Maurice Blackburn Lawyers. The class action, filed on behalf of over 8,000 taxi and hire car owners and drivers, alleged that they lost income when Uber aggressively entered the country.
The law firm stated that Uber fought the case at every stage, but with this proposed settlement, the company aims to put these issues behind them. The size of the settlement was not disclosed by Uber, who stated that they would not comment on specifics until the agreement is finalized and disclosed to the court.
The class action was filed in 2019 in the Supreme Court of Australia’s Victoria state. Maurice Blackburn principal lawyer Michael Donelly praised the success of the case, stating that they have delivered an outcome for their group members. However, the court still needs to approve the proposed settlement before any payouts can be made.
Uber, founded in 2009 and based in San Francisco, operates in over 70 countries and more than 10,000 cities worldwide. The company has faced protests from taxi drivers in various cities globally. In December 2023, Uber won a lawsuit brought against it by 2,500 taxi drivers in France, with a Paris commercial court ruling that Uber had not engaged in unfair competition. The taxi drivers had been seeking €455m ($495.4m; £389m) in damages.
