Italian court rules that food delivery drivers working for Uber were exploited by the company

A Milan court has ordered the appointment of a judicial administrator to oversee Uber Italy for a year after a ruling found the firm’s food delivery service workers were exploited, according to a number of sources.

According to New Europe, the court said Uber’s treatment of its delivery workers was similar to the “caporalato“ system, used by the mafia, meaning the exploitation of labour.

Uber are no strangers to the Italian law and regulatory system; in 2017 the decision was made by authority to only allow the ride-sharing app’s higher-end service Uber Black to operate after Italy’s traditional taxi drivers lobbied to put a stop to their Uber-X type service.

Speaking after the court ruling of exploitation of delivery workers, Uber condemned “every form of capolarato", adding it complies with Italian laws and it will continue working to be a "true, long-term partner in the country".

Image credit: TaxiPoint