Deliveroo workers strike in pay and conditions dispute
Workers at delivery firm Deliveroo went on strike on Wednesday in a dispute over pay and conditions.
Socially distanced protests were held in cities including London, York, Sheffield, Reading and Wolverhampton.
The Independent Workers’ Union of Great Britain (IWGB) said its members are calling for decent pay as well as improved employment rights and safety protections.
The union said supportive action was expected in Australia, France, the Netherlands, Ireland and Spain.
“A false choice”
The action follows recent campaigns by those in the gig economy to be classed as workers and so receive better pay and conditions.
Read on...
Support us and go ad-freeUnions won legal action recently against ride hailing firm Uber.
Alex Marshall, president of the IWGB and a former bicycle courier, said: “Deliveroo presents a false choice between flexibility and basic rights but the Uber ruling showed that, here as well as abroad, workers can have both.
“That is the least they deserve and what the public expects for our frontline workers.”
A spokesperson for Deliveroo stated: “This small self-appointed union does not represent the vast majority of riders who tell us they value the total flexibility they enjoy while working with Deliveroo alongside the ability to earn over £13 an hour.
“Only yesterday we ran a survey and 89% of riders said that they were happy with the company and flexibility was their priority.
“We are proud that rider satisfaction is at an all-time high and that thousands of people are applying to be Deliveroo riders each and every week.
“Riders are at the heart of our business and today we are beginning a new consultation with riders about how we should invest our new £50 million community fund.”
“This exploitation is no way to treat anyone”
But Greg Howard, a Deliveroo rider and an official of the IWGB, set out why he was going on strike: “I’m going on strike for my basic rights and those of all the other riders struggling to get by and support families on Deliveroo poverty pay.
“I’ve seen conditions decline for years and then working through lockdown I contracted Covid-19 and got very little support.
“After the pandemic more people than ever understand this exploitation is no way to treat anyone, let alone key workers.”
Support us and go ad-free
We know everyone is suffering under the Tories - but the Canary is a vital weapon in our fight back, and we need your support
The Canary Workers’ Co-op knows life is hard. The Tories are waging a class war against us we’re all having to fight. But like trade unions and community organising, truly independent working-class media is a vital weapon in our armoury.
The Canary doesn’t have the budget of the corporate media. In fact, our income is over 1,000 times less than the Guardian’s. What we do have is a radical agenda that disrupts power and amplifies marginalised communities. But we can only do this with our readers’ support.
So please, help us continue to spread messages of resistance and hope. Even the smallest donation would mean the world to us.
-
Show Comments
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to leave a comment.Join the conversationPlease read our comment moderation policy here.
