By Tehreem Zahra
Due to their pay and “appalling” working conditions, thousands of delivery drivers from Deliveroo, Just Eat, and Uber Eats went on strike last month – and are continuing to strike from 10am – 5pm on designated days until their demands are met.
Numerous companies in North London have been impacted by the drivers’ strike, which resulted in a failure to pick up orders and subsequently cold, unappetising food. As a result, restaurants saw a significant decrease in sales, causing significant financial loss.
Calling it a “fight for their rights,” the drivers refused to deliver the orders, leaving many customers waiting for hours. Uber drivers claim that they receive “up to 50% of the commission” from Uber, leaving them with very little money and it is “so unfair” to them.
“We don’t want to stop working, but we don’t have any other option,” said part-time delivery worker Muhammad Abdul Rehman.
Photo by Tehreem Zahra
A brawl took place outside a McDonald’s in North London when a driver who was refusing to strike arrived to pick up the order and was stopped from entering the restaurant by the striking drivers. This created a great deal of chaos, upset a lot of customers, and resulted in the police being called to the scene.
Andreea Diaconescu, the business manager of a McDonald’s restaurant, claimed to have had a significant change in the day’s sales. “We had to throw away the food as a waste and they had to lose a lot of money,” Diaconescu said.
“It was very, very difficult,” she added, saying that she hoped that that the government would find a solution so that, hopefully, there wouldn’t be any more issues.
Photo by Tehreem Zahra
Dr Callum Cant, from Essex Business School at the University of Essex, who studies the sector, said: “The single problem we have had with these apps over the last few years has been the continual reduction in real wages. So over time, things have got worse.”
He added: “These workers are so often treated as invisible. And they’re taken for granted.”
Planning of the strikes and walkouts is being done over social media by a secret courier group called Delivery Job UK. The page was made to give delivery drivers up-to-date information, inspire them to participate in strikes, and advocate for their rights.
Marcio Silva, identified as part of an organisation called Delivery Job UK, was quoted by The Sun saying that strikes will continue every Friday and Monday until drivers’ demands are met. “At the moment, Uber pays a minimum of £2.80 and Deliveroo pays £3.15,” he was quoted as saying, adding that they are asking for a minimum of £5 per hour.
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