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You’ll be forgiven if all you’ve seen of the news this past week has been the return of Donald Trump.
But there are plenty of important stories that have barely seen the light of day, but which deserve our attention too.
Here Byline Times takes you through a non-comprehensive round-up of news stories buried over the past week.
Don’t miss a story
Bolt Drivers Win Worker Status in £200m Legal Claim
Thousands of Bolt drivers have won their legal claim to be classed as workers, giving them rights that include paid holiday and to be paid at least the minimum wage.
Lawyers believe the compensation owed to their 15,000 clients could be worth more than £200 million, or roughly £15,000 per wronged driver.
In a judgment handed down last Friday (8 November), the Employment Tribunal ruled that the Bolt drivers represented by law firm Leigh Day are not, as Bolt claimed, self-employed contractors who run their own business.
Instead they are workers, and as such entitled to workers’ rights and protection under employment laws.
The ruling affects all of the 100,000-plus drivers who take on work through the Bolt private hire hailing app. They can argue they should be classed as workers with all the employment rights and protection the classification includes.
Those drivers who are part of the Leigh Day legal claim will also be entitled to backdated compensation for underpayment of the minimum wage and unpaid holiday pay. There is still time to join the legal claim and claim the right to compensation.
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Another hearing is likely to take place early next year, when the Employment Tribunal will decide how much compensation for unpaid holiday pay and lost income each driver will receive.
Bolt drivers launched their own legal claim to be classed as workers following the 2021 Supreme Court ruling that Uber drivers are workers. Bolt drivers claimed that the ruling also applies to their working situation. Leigh Day also represented Uber drivers in their successful legal claim.
The Employment Tribunal’s ruling means that Bolt will need to provide paid holiday and ensure drivers are paid the minimum wage for any periods they work.
The tribunal will hold a further hearing to decide how much compensation the Bolt claimants are entitled to.
Glasgow Council to Trial Automatic Voter Registration
Citizens in Glasgow are set to be part of a pilot scheme to be automatically enrolled on the electoral register in the future, following discussions between SNP councillors and the Scottish Government.
With Automatic Voter Registration voters could be expected to opt-out rather than opt-in to being added to the electoral roll.
It would mean that most citizens would be able to show up to vote at polling booths without having to register in advance while being confident their details are correct.
Glasgow SNP Councillor Alex Kerr had written to Bob Doris MSP asking for his support for the SNP Glasgow Council Group’s proposal to consider Glasgow as a pilot area for Automatic Voter Registration, to remove as many barriers to voting for Glaswegians as possible.
Automatic Voter Registration was also supported by a Holyrood committee report and by the official Electoral Commission.
At Westminster, the Labour Party pledged to “improve voter registration” in its 2024 manifesto, with the Guardian reporting in June that this meant the party would introduce automatic voter registration in England. However, no plans have been brought forward as yet.
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Harrods Staff Brand Employer ‘Scrooge’ as They Plan Strike
Hundreds of workers across Harrods’ retail, restaurant, kitchen, and cleaning departments are to be balloted for strike action over the busy Christmas season, unless luxury London store Harrods “promptly” addresses their demands for “fair pay” and improved working conditions.
The Qatari owners of the famous luxury London store were handed £180 million in dividends in the year to February according to reports, while the Managing Director earned £2.1 million.
Meanwhile, workers in the United Voices of the World union (UVW) say they are angry as they say they face being stripped of benefits, and complain of “overwork due to staff shortages, and stagnant wages”.
The potential strikes come in response to grievances over staff shortages, and a call for a guarantee of “fair pay rises in line with RPI inflation”. Some staff also complain of the cover charge being scrapped in Harrods restaurants. “Many benefits, like a Ch