By Meike Leonard and Sophia Stanford
08:26 14 Feb 2024, updated 09:40 14 Feb 2024
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Thousands of takeaway delivery drivers will go on a Valentine’s Day strike today in a row over pay and ‘appalling’ working conditions.
The wildcat strike will hit operators Deliveroo, Just Eat, Uber Eats and Stuart between 5pm and 10pm today, one of the busiest nights of the year for takeaways as couples enjoy a romantic night in.
Organisers say the February 14 mutiny will be larger than a Friday night strike involving more than 3,000 couriers in London, Glasgow and Brighton earlier this month.
Five people were arrested after scuffles broke out between strikers and riders trying to continue delivering food.
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Deliveroo had offered drivers who do not strike a £10 ‘boost’ payment for completing five or more deliveries on Valentine’s Day. But organisers said this will not be enough to break the strike.
The walkout is being organised by a secretive group of couriers known only as Delivery Job UK, via social media including WhatsApp.
The leaders appear to be Brazilian nationals living in London.
A Supreme Court ruling last year means that delivery app riders are not allowed to join a trade union or bargain collectively but the strike action is being supported by the Independent Workers’ Union of Great Britain (IWGB).
In a video released by the Delivery Job UK account last week, a balaclava-clad driver rallied fellow ‘asphalt warriors’ to join the next strike.
‘We were warriors during the pandemic, weren’t we? Today, we’re being treated like dogs,’ he said.
Drivers are demanding the minimum fee for a job be increased to £5, plus an additional £2 for every mile travelled after the first.
They say that at present a Deliveroo driver can make just £2.90 for a two-mile journey, meaning they are forced to drive dangerously to make ends meet.
Last week a Deliveroo driver said that his pay at the end of an 11-hour shift was £105, under the minimum wage, which is £10.42 an hour for anyone aged 23 or over.
There is also anger at inconsistent rates of pay.
A spokesman for Deliveroo said: ‘Riders always earn at least the national minimum wage, plus vehicle costs, for the time they are working with us, though the vast majority earn far more than this.
‘Riders are also automatically insured for free, and receive income protection if they are unwell.’
Just Eat said: ‘We provide a highly competitive base rate to self-employed couriers.’ Uber Eats and Stuart were contacted for comment.
An Uber Eats spokesperson said: ‘We offer a flexible way for couriers to earn by using the app when and where they choose. We know that the vast majority of couriers are satisfied with their experience on the app, and we regularly engage with couriers to look at how we can improve their experience.’
A Stuart spokesperson added: ‘Stuart remains committed to providing competitive earnings opportunities for courier partners and delivering a courier-centric platform.
‘We will be working with clients to minimise disruption during the impacted period.’
Are YOU a takeaway delivery driver? Get in touch with us – email [email protected]
Robert Johnson is a UK-based business writer specializing in finance and entrepreneurship. With an eye for market trends and a keen interest in the corporate world, he offers readers valuable insights into business developments.
