Former Uber lobbyist Mark MacGann told lawmakers that the ride-sharing company ‘weaponised’ its drivers and customers.
Irish MEP Grace O’Sullivan has said it is “time to show Uber the door” as she called on the EU and the Irish Government to clamp down on tech companies that break European labour and privacy laws.
O’Sullivan, who is a member of the Green Party, made her comment following a speech given by Uber whistleblower Mark MacGann to the European Parliament yesterday (25 October).
Speaking to lawmakers, MacGann called out the ride-sharing service for its “growth at all costs” approach to business, saying it “co-opted democracy” and “weaponised” drivers and customers.
Irishman MacGann is a former head of public policy at Uber. He was one of several speakers to address the parliamentary hearing amid negotiations on a proposal to force companies to pay gig economy workers a minimum wage and provide access to other workers’ rights.
The former lobbyist’s speech was met with a standing ovation.
“He revealed the massive range of dirty tactics employed by Uber, which has a large subsidiary in Ireland with a turnover of around 1m,” said O’Sullivan. “Academics paid to present skewed datasets, aggressive union-busting, the wholesale of personal user data.”
Earlier this year, MacGann revealed Uber’s aggressive lobbying practices between 2013 and 2017, exposing the ride-hailing tech giant’s sometimes ruthless techniques to expand globally.
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