A growing number of Uber drivers here have affiliated with the Union of Public and Private Employees (SIFUP) to press a collective claim against the company for unpaid labor benefits. The move targets recognition of vacation pay and Christmas bonuses, with individual claims reaching up to ₡6 million (about $11,400) in some cases.
Labor lawyer Roy Castillo, SIFUP’s national delegate to the Ministry of Labor, leads the effort. He points to recent court decisions that establish an employment link between Uber and its drivers. “Several rulings from the Labor Court and the Second Chamber already confirm the employment relationship for platform workers,” Castillo said. “We aim to gather 1,500 complainants for an active joinder, where multiple people pursue the same goal.”
SIFUP started accepting memberships from drivers last week. By Tuesday, 137 had signed on, with another 25 joining that day. The union now holds meetings to prepare legal steps in the coming weeks. Castillo added that they seek a hearing with Uber’s local representatives through the Ministry of Labor to settle amicably and avoid court proceedings.
The drivers want to keep operating on the platform but with standard worker protections. This push follows a string of judicial wins for gig workers in Costa Rica. In August, the Labor Court of Appeals upheld an employment relationship in one case, requiring Uber to cover damages for an alleged unjust dismissal—framed as a disconnection from the app—plus three years of labor entitlements like vacations and bonuses.
A second ruling in October from the San José Labor Court echoed this, ordering payments after finding a labor bond with another driver. These decisions build on earlier precedents, including a 2023 Labor Court order for Uber to pay holiday, bonus, and social security contributions to a driver.
Castillo noted inquiries from drivers on other platforms, hinting at potential similar actions against those firms. Uber has not responded publicly to the union’s demands.
This development highlights ongoing tensions in Costa Rica’s gig economy, where platforms like Uber entered the market a decade ago without formal labor contracts. Drivers often face irregular hours and lack basic safeguards, prompting calls for regulation.
Lawmakers have proposed bills to grant rights to app-based workers, such as those for delivery services like Uber Eats or Didi. One recent project focuses on salaries, schedules, and insurance for riders.
As affiliations rise, SIFUP plans to file the claim soon if talks fail. For now, drivers continue rides while organizing for change.
