Uber called its recent union deal ‘historic.’ A new complaint alleges it was actually against the law.
A former Uber driver made a whistleblower complaint against the ride-hailing company Sunday alleging the company broke the law because its California drivers’ organizing campaign included fake email addresses and fabricated driver endorsements.
The complaint follows the decision in California by a judge on an unfair labor practices case to allow the case to proceed. It alleges that the campaign included fake online endorsements and deceptive online advertising from outside parties as part of its tactics to get drivers to “sign” the unionize contract.
The complaint also alleges that a campaign manager was involved in the campaign and a top official was involved with the company for five years before the complaint was filed, according to the San Francisco Business Times.
The complaint was filed against the company by former Uber employee Kevin Rose, who had previously filed a complaint with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) and the Department of Transportation, claiming that the company did not give drivers adequate training about the unionization process.
The agency also confirmed Rose’s complaint in a statement Sunday, saying a complaint has been filed against Uber for unfair labor practices. Rose said he was “surprised and pleased” with the NLRB’s investigation, according to the San Francisco Business Times.
“I was also surprised to see the NLRB investigation has now been taken up by the U.S. Department of Labor—and that’s a significant step,” Rose said in a statement to The Daily Beast. “I hope it will have legal repercussions.”
The filing with the NLRB had already accused Uber of not following federal labor laws.
The NLRB has not yet determined whether to pursue an investigation into the NLRB complaint against Uber. The NLRB’s investigation of unionization campaigns may find itself “pivotal if and when a federal agency like the Labor Department proceeds with a further
