Deliveroo workers in England plan strike over pay and conditions

Socially distanced protests across five towns and cities will be staged by the drivers on Wednesday, April 7, the Independent Workers of Great Britain (IWGB) union has said.

The strike comes hot on the heels of damning reports about Deliveroo rider pay and conditions, with a survey in March revealing that drivers can earn as little as £2 per hour while on shift.

The survey, of more than 300 workers, caused several institutional investors to turn down involvement with Deliveroo’s initial public offering.

Shares in the firm, meanwhile, dropped by more than a quarter on its conditional stock market debut at the end of March.

The strike, taking place in London, Sheffield, York, Wolverhampton and Reading, is timed to coincide with the flotation becoming “unconditional”, meaning the flotation cannot be cancelled and trades can no longer be unwound.

Around 400 Deliveroo couriers in total are expected to take part, demanding better rights and safety practices as well as improvements to pay.

A guaranteed living wage after holiday, sick pay and costs is among demands, as well as an end to unpaid waiting times for couriers.

Workers are also asking for a new terminations policy, transparency over fee calculations and an agreement to engage with collective bargaining.

Help combating discrimination and sexual harassment is also being demanded, with couriers asking for an allowance to refuse unsafe work without penalty to their job or pay.

A Deliveroo spokesperson told The Guardian:

“Riders are at the heart of our business and we always aim to give them the work they want and the support that they need.

“We communicate with thousands of riders each week who tell us that they value flexibility above all else. We are proud that rider satisfaction is at an all-time high and thousands of people are applying to be Deliveroo riders each week.

“Today we are beginning a new consultation with riders about how we should invest our new £50m community fund. Riders can always speak to one of our rider engagement teams if they have any concerns.”