The company Uber has to answer for the sexual assault of its drivers. 550 women filed a class action lawsuit against the company.
San Francisco – More than 500 women have sued the American service company Uber. The plaintiffs accuse the company of not having done enough to combat sexual assault and violence by drivers. The management had known about it since 2014 at the latest.
According to the US law firm Slater Slater Schulman, which represents 550 clients, the attacks range from molestation to kidnapping and rape. When asked, Uber said it could not comment on open legal proceedings. According to the company, the class action lawsuit has been ongoing since February 2022.
Uber publishes its own research: 3824 sexual assaults in two years
About two weeks ago, Uber published the results of its own investigation, according to which there were reports of 3,824 sexual assaults by drivers in 2019 and 2020 alone. Uber has had to deal with lawsuits in the past. – In 2018, a procedure ended with a settlement.
“Uber could do so much more to protect its passengers,” said Adam Slater, attorney for the plaintiffs, giving examples. “Cameras to prevent attacks, more robust background checks for drivers, a warning system if drivers deviate from their routes.” But the company rejects these measures.
Women sue Uber: Group tries to defend itself
In the past, Uber had defended itself by saying that the drivers were not permanent employees. The staff is checked thoroughly and security measures have been introduced – for example an emergency button in the app. The class action lawsuit comes at an inopportune time for the US group.
Recently, Uber came under pressure from a large data leak that the group’s lobbying work revealed. Emmanuel Macron, President of France, is suspected of having supported the group in entering the EU market. According to the research, Otto Fricke, FDP politician, should have his contacts in Germany.
About Files: FDP MP mediated group contacts
Fricke, who sits in the Bundestag, mediated talks with high-ranking politicians, including the former Federal Minister of Transport Alexander Dobrindt (CSU) and the then Parliamentary State Secretary in the Ministry of Transport, Dorothee Bär (CSU).
Documents date from the time of ex-boss Kalanick
However, the documents date from the time of co-founder and ex-boss Travis Kalanick. He resigned in 2017 after scandals ranging from sexism and discrimination to technology theft and espionage affairs. Today the company distances itself from Kalanick. (mse/dpa)
