Uber Meets Wary Judge in Pursuit of $100 Million Driver Deal
- Critics say settlement mainly benefits lead lawyer, company
- Judge voices concern deal’s liability release may be too broad
The Uber Technologies Inc. logo is displayed in the window of a car while Uber drivers protest against price cuts outside the company's offices in Long Island City, in the Queens borough of New York, U.S., on Monday, Feb. 1, 2016. Last week Uber Technologies Inc., the ride-hailing leader, reduced its uberX rates in New York City by 15 percent.
Photographer: Victor J. Blue/BloombergUber Technologies Inc. may have to return to the bargaining table to show just how badly it wants to avoid a jury trial with drivers demanding to be treated as employees.
The world’s largest ride-share company faced off in court Thursday with critics who say it’s getting off too easily in a proposed $100 million deal with 385,000 current and former drivers in California and Massachusetts that would leave its workforce classified as independent contractors.