TWU SLAMS FOODORA OVER PLAN TO QUIT AUSTRALIA

A survey of riders has shown three out of every four riders is paid below minimum rates.

“Foodora would rather pull out of Australia and leave thousands of riders without work rather than pay them the millions of dollars they owe. Ever since they arrived in Australia Foodora, like other food delivery companies, has denied its riders fair rates, superannuation, workers compensation, annual leave, the right to collectively bargain and even forces them to work shifts for no pay at all. We are calling on the Federal Government to require Foodora to set up a fund to compensate riders for stolen entitlements. This mess has occurred on the Federal Government’s watch. The Government’s actions are sadly not surprising given the Workplace Minister Laundy is on the record as saying the on-demand economy is ‘working exactly as it was designed to function’,” said TWU National Secretary Tony Sheldon.

“It is imperative that Foodora pays compensation to its riders. It is a disgrace that it has given them notice of just one week of ‘normal’ work. These people have rent, bills and tuition fees to pay,” Sheldon said.

“The Government has stood by and invited these eighteenth century conditions into our community. Now in a similar vein it will stand by while Foodora leaves its workers high and dry without any work at all,” Sheldon added.

The food delivery company just today at 4pm told riders they had just one week until August 10thof “normal” shifts before August 20thwhen there will be a “wind down of services with fewer shifts available”.

The TWU along with food delivery rider Josh Klooger launched an unfair dismissal case against Foodora with the hearing opening in Sydney last month. The union also criticised Foodora over leaked internal emails which showed the company was aware it was engaging in sham-contracting.

Hundreds of riders in Sydney and Melbourne have protested in recent months demanding rights.

The rider survey also found:

• Almost 50% of riders had either been injured on the job or knew someone who had
• Over 70% of riders said they should get entitlements such as sick leave.
• 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

Click here for the email sent to riders.

Click here for the survey results.