US ride-hailing giant Uber on Friday lost a ruling on workers’ rights after Britain’s Supreme Court ruled that drivers are entitled to minimum wages and vacation time among other rights. This ruling comes following a years-long legal battle with Uber. 

“This has been a gruelling four-year legal battle for our members — but it’s ended in a historic win. The Supreme Court has upheld the decision of three previous courts, backing up what GMB has said all along; Uber drivers are workers and entitled to breaks, holiday pay and minimum wage,” said Mick Rix, from the GMB trade union, AFP reported.

A group of 20 Uber drivers argued they were entitled to employee status given the length of time they had been working through the Uber app, and the way that the company oversaw their work. Lower courts ruled in 2016, 2017 and 2018 in their favour.

However, the company insisted that the drivers were self-employed since they choose their own hours and place of work. Uber also said the drivers often find passengers through rival apps.

Following Friday’s verdict, Uber said it respected the ruling, “which focussed on a small number of drivers who used the Uber app in 2016.”

“We are committed to doing more and will now consult with every active driver across the UK to understand the changes they want to see,” Jamie Heywood, its manager for Northern and Eastern Europe, said in a statement, AFP reported.