DELIVERY RIDERS PROTEST AS TWU FILES TEST CASES FOR RIGHTS & PROTECTIONS

The protest begins at 2.30pm at Harmony Park, corner of Brisbane and Hunt Streets in Surry Hills, and proceeds onto Taylor Square on Oxford Street

“Riders are fighting back against the greed of Deliveroo, Foodora, UberEats and other companies which mean they are struggling on low wages with no protections or superannuation. Riders are forced to make themselves available for shifts on the companies’ terms and are penalised if they get injured, sick or take leave. Companies slash rates and dismiss people unfairly with no warning or explanation. This is old-fashioned exploitation, which harks back to working conditions from the 1800s. The difference now is that change is coming via apps and by tech billionaires,” said TWU National Secretary Tony Sheldon.

“We are taking two cases to the Fair Work Commission this week to demand the rights and protections these riders deserve. It is incumbent on the system to recognise these rights,” Sheldon added.

Josh Klooger, a delivery rider who was sacked after two years with Foodora over raising pay and conditions said things were becoming harder for riders. “Rates are being slashed, shift allocation metrics are encouraging riskier behaviour and riders on higher rates are being unfairly dismissed. This is why we are taking a stance and demanding our rights,” he said.

A survey of over delivery riders shows:

• three out of every four food delivery riders are paid below the minimum award wage – for a casual worker that is $24.21
• Riders are working for effective pay rates as low as $6.67/hour
• almost 50% said they or someone they know has been injured doing their job
• over 70% of riders said they should get entitlements such as sick leave.
• This is not a “pocket money job”:
  • 1 in 4 riders (26%) work full time hours (40+ hours per week)
  • 3 in 4 (76%) riders work 20 or more hours per week.
  • over 26% work more than 40 hours a week
  • The average age is just under 26 years