Uber signs driver bargaining agreement with major UK union

LONDON (AP) — Uber says it’s formally recognizing a major British trade union. The move will pave the way for the union to represent drivers, a breakthrough for labor campaigners seeking fairer working conditions from the ride-hailing giant. The San Francisco-based company said Wednesday that it signed a collective-bargaining agreement with the GMB trade union, one of the U.K.‘s biggest. Under the agreement, the GMB will represent Uber’s 70,000 drivers across the U.K. Union membership won’t be automatic and drivers will have to sign up for it. Uber and other app-based gig economy companies have been facing pressure across Europe to reform labor models that are often blamed for precarious jobs and low salaries.