Uber drivers gain new protections

Uber drivers in Kelowna and across the B.C. Interior are joining a union, giving them new protections and a bigger voice on the job.

Drivers in the Okanagan, Cariboo and Kootenay regions are now covered by an agreement first reached by Uber drivers in Victoria.

The deal includes health benefits, bonuses, higher fees and a formal process for drivers to challenge account and workplace issues.

In a statement, Uber said UFCW 1518 has demonstrated majority support among rideshare drivers in Region 4, triggering the accretion provisions of the existing collective agreement.