Uber Creates Support Fund for French Drivers Amid Union Feud
- Pledges 2 million euros in new fund to help drivers in France
- Strikes gave way to union negotiations due until Jan. 31
Ride-hailing drivers gather at the Porte Maillot in Paris on Dec. 15, 2016.
Photographer: Lionel Bonaventure/AFP via Getty ImagesUber Technologies Inc. pledged 2 million euros ($2.1 million) to help chauffeurs facing difficulties in France, after drivers traded days of striking and blocking traffic for labor union negotiations that are set to stretch into the new year.
The announcement of the new fund came Tuesday afternoon from a company representative in Paris, after two days of intense talks involving unions, Uber, local rival LeCab, and advisers to France’s transport minister. The chauffeured-car platform and unions will be back at the table for more discussions -- this time under the watchful eye of a mediator -- until January 31, Minister Alain Vidalies said Tuesday in an e-mailed statement.