Deliveroo will face a trade union protest outside its London depot today over claims of worker exploitation.
Battersea and Wandsworth Trades Union Council will hold a demonstration at the company’s premises in Wandsworth from 12pm to protest against the treatment of its self-employed delivery drivers.
The union claims Deliveroo is “getting around” laws such as rest breaks, sick and holiday pay by refusing to take on drivers as employees.
The organisation also alleged drivers were poorly paid due to the ad hoc nature of the work. Deliveroo generally offers basic hourly pay of £6 to £7, with a top-up fee of £1 to £1.50 per delivery - which would be above minimum wage if a delivery is made within the hour - but the union stressed this income was not guaranteed. In some areas, Deliveroo operates a completely results-based payment scheme of between £3.75 and £4.55 per delivery with no basic wage.
“That wage is dependent on business so they can be hanging around waiting and doesn’t give them security,” said Spencer Barnshaw, secretary of BWTUC.
Barnshaw said young people were particularly likely to work in ‘gig economy’ jobs with companies such as Deliveroo and Uber. “Young workers are some of the most vulnerable, who are particularly affected by low pay, precarious contracts and overqualification, without opportunities for training and progression. They are often working in sectors with low or no union presence and without collective agreements,” he said.
This isn’t the first time Deliveroo has been embroiled in controversy over its worker terms and conditions. Last summer, drivers staged a six-day walkout over proposals to force through the new, results-based payment scheme across the entire workforce, which resulted in Deliveroo only implementing it on a voluntary basis.
And Brighton drivers threatened to strike yesterday over pay and their self-employed status. The group of drivers believe they should be recognised as employees following last year’s legal ruling on Uber, which deemed drivers were employed by the company and should be treated as such.
A Deliveroo spokesman said the company was not aware of the action by BWTUC and did not know of any drivers taking part. “Deliveroo is proud to have a strong relationship with our riders and we are pleased to be able to offer them the flexible work they value,” he said. “Riders choose when and where to work, and for how long, allowing them to fit their work around their other priorities, such as studying, starting a small business, other freelance activities or personal commitments.”
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