South Africa’s Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration has ruled that Uber drivers are employees and not independent contractors, reports BusinessTech. This means that Uber drivers are entitled to the full protection and rights afforded to employees by the Labour Relations Act which means they can form unions, engage in collective bargaining and exercise the right to strike.

The ruling came after a number of former Uber drivers brought forth an unfair dismissal case to South Africa’s CCMA. Uber stated that it will challenge the ruling in South Africa’s labour court. Uber has come under strong criticism around the world over its employment practices. Last year, a London employment tribunal ruled that Uber drivers in the UK should be considered employees rather than self-employed.