Leaked Uber email insists minimum wage ruling only applies to two of its drivers

Uber has told its drivers that the tribunal ruling requiring them to be paid minimum wage does not apply and that there will be "no change" in how drivers are paid until Uber has appealed the decision, according to a leaked email tweeted by the GMB union.

A London employment tribunal ruling last week found that Uber drivers are not independent entrepreneurs - as the company had argued - but captive employees. Drivers are therefore entitled to the same minimum wage protections, holiday and sick pay, as all other workers are, the tribunal said. The ruling potentially covers 40,000 Uber drivers and half a million "self-employed" British workers in the gig economy, at companies like Deliveroo and Hermes.

But Uber emailed this message to its drivers after the ruling, the GMB said. The message claims the ruling "only affects two individuals and Uber will be appealing it. There will be no change to your partnership with Uber in light of this decision":

The GMB was not happy: "If you received this misleading email - know that Uber judgement applies to 40,000 UK drivers, not 2," the union tweeted.

Uber did not immediately respond to Business Insider's request for comment.

Previously, Uber UK general manager Jo Bertram had said: "Tens of thousands of people in London drive with Uber precisely because they want to be self-employed and their own boss. The overwhelming majority of drivers who use the Uber app want to keep the freedom and flexibility of being able to drive when and where they want. While the decision of this preliminary hearing only affects two people we will be appealing it."