The transport union has launched legal proceedings in an attempt to force the NSW state insurer to pay compensation for the deaths of two Uber Eats riders who were killed in accidents while working on Sydney streets in 2020.
Under state law, employees' families are entitled to a payment of more than $860,000 if a loved one dies because of their job, but most contractors, such as gig economy workers for platforms including Uber, are typically excluded.
The Transport Workers Union (TWU) filed claims with the NSW Personal Injury Commission, citing the nature of their employment and the degree of control Uber had over them, while the company has consistently defended its contractor employment model, pointing to the flexibility riders get in an approach previously upheld by the courts.
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