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PAY AND CONDITIONS for Deliveroo delivery men and women are in the spotlight after a driver claimed his contract was terminated for refusing to sign up to a new agreement.
However, the contract changes at the multi-million euro start-up company that sparked this aren’t limited to Ireland.
The same changes were brought in earlier this year in the United Kingdom. Deliveroo said at the time that this was a trial only taking place in one area.
A similar system was introduced in Australia, with the company highlighting that many employees did not rely on Deliveroo as their main source of income.
A Deliveroo driver called Jamal told RTÉ Radio 1’s Liveline earlier this week that he was previously being paid €9 per hour and getting an extra €1 per delivery.
A new contract was introduced which the man claims resulted in significantly less pay for Deliveroo workers, in which drivers are paid no hourly rate but €4.25 per delivery on weekdays, which increases to €4.75 on weekends.
“I was logged in all day until 9 o’clock and I made no money at all. I didn’t get one delivery,” he told the programme.
Workers in the United Kingdom also had their hourly rate scrapped, and replaced with a £4.25 per delivery payment.
“We were told the new contract would mean we’d earn more money”, an anonymous Deliveroo driver told BBC News.
https://www.facebook.com/BBCLondon/videos/1128085327233163/
It’s not true, we’re making less. We’re really struggling.
One worker said the hourly rate he received was now just €4.25 per hour, which is below the UK’s minimum wage.
Deliveroo responded to say that efficient drivers could in theory earn €12 per hour.
Drivers in Australia previously receive $16 (€10.63) per hour with an extra $2.50 (€1.66) per delivery.
However, an investigation by Fairfax Media found that some drivers received a contract with no hourly rate, and were paid $10 (€6.64) per delivery.
Deliveroo denied accusations it was employing them on ‘sham contracts’, and said workers enjoyed the flexibility these contracts offered.
One worker told Fairfax that they could sometimes earn just $10 per hour, meaning they are not being paid the minimum wage.
In a statement, Deliveroo said this form of contract has proved to be popular in Ireland.
Asked about the fate of the trial in the United Kingdom, the company said: “London and Dublin City Centre are extremely busy.”
A fee per delivery structure means riders maximise efficiency at our busiest times – making up to four deliveries an hour – as opposed to a fixed hourly rate. It’s more reflective of the way riders work with us.
This is a new model of hyper-flexible working, which we know may not be for everyone, but we’ve seen huge demand for in Ireland.
The Telegraph reports that an internal projection of the company’s predicted revenue put the figure at £130 million (€169m), placing growth at more than 1,000%.
The delivery company – which works in a similar way to JustEat.ie, but offers food from restaurants that don’t normally offer deliveries – has as many as 400 drivers on its books in Ireland, is established in five Irish cities and has its sights set on another three.
It operates in 12 countries across the world.
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sure isn’t this the modern way?
1. target an old long established service (deliveries, taxis etc) that have already created the market demand
2. make an app
3. get some fancy branding
4. repackage the the exact same service as something new – but call it “on-demand”, “sharing economy” “access economy” or some such BS
5. build a precarious work force through early incentives and promises
6. undercut existing services
7. raise loads of VC finance
8. grow rapidly
9. make employment even more precarious and exploitative to ensure higher returns
10. sell company for millions/billions (get out)
11. absolve yourself of responsibility for the shafted workforce
Sounds exactly like what was happening in 1999 just before that bubble went tits up. I’d say within 6 months to a year before the next one…
Slave labour wages and conditions a real race to the bottom of wages!!! Normal delivery drivers get paid very badly already and this company is making conditions even worse and are taking advantage of people who are desperate to try to earn some money … Boycott them and when nobody uses the service then maybe it will change !!!
Some of these drivers use motorcycles to deliver!! Do they have commercial insurance to provide this service or are they working illegally???? Just asking!!!!
We’re led to believe that workers are protected through national and EU legislation which is nonsense of course. The working class can only ever depend on itself for protection. The drivers need to organise and close Deliveroo down until they deliver decent wages and conditions. Solidarity with the drivers in their struggle.
Being paid per delivery is nothing new and used in industries in many countries like taxi drivers for example. Whole lot of subjective complaining.
Totally Padraig. Wally out then again with the usual EU bashing. Easy. Over supply of these workers leads to less deliveries. Move jobs to another role.
This crowd should be boycotted by Irish consumers
Digusting to read, disgusting to see in our country. Slave labour in its simplist form.
I’m sorry but it’s clear that there is a demand out there for this service, the only issue here is a very profitable company exploiting it’s workers. It should not be allowed to continue!
:D I love how everyone calls them company workers, they are self employed contractors, they move stuff from A to B. Its like a plumber, electrician, any self employed individual,they are not getting paid if they are not on a job, that’s it. done. can ya all get it finally? its pretty clear from the article, which in its self is pointless, you can write a article about a truck driver who complains he is not getting paid while sitting at home waiting for stuff to haul.. the only difference here is Deliveroo were generous enough BEFORE to pay their contractors hourly, even tho they weren’t creating any revenue, now when they actually have to work their asses to make money they are complaining.. typical.
I half agree with you except the laziness part. This isn’t slave labour as some are suggesting but self employment as you do. The other advantage of being self employed is you don’t have to take every contract. If the company wants to lower its rates and improve its revenue it has to work with the contractors. If they all refuse it will change. Whinging to RTE won’t make a jot of difference if everyone accepts the new rates.
This type of contract is rapidly becoming the norm. Uber is the taxi version of deliveroo. People need to ask themselves what kind of world they want to live in? Is it one where the minority have a lot…and the majority have little!?? If this kind of exploitation goes unchallenged Social unrest will follow! There are humans out there who display disgusting behaviour towards other humans.
Hit them where it counts….boycott them. I’m all for competitive models but not at the expense of the employees, or in this case as they like to say ‘independent contractors’. Their almighty pursuit of profit margins clearly demonstrate their greed and put me right off my food. Deliveryoo…….no thank you!
Makes sense, just tell your fav restaurant you are not buying from them as long as they use this company.
…simple solution : don’t use Deliveroo. When their turnover drops the penny will drop.
Spot on John, that’s the only way! I hope the media drives this one massively public so that they actually feel it in their pockets!
The issue there is that the delivery people themselves will also suffer. Same as any boycott
It’s a race to the bottom. Slave labour in fancy dress, but still slave labour.
And within the sovereign right of any country to address. Along with zero hour contracts
Zero hours should be banned . It’s disgraceful that people are still on those contracts not knowing when their next shift will be ..
Unions out fighting for 57% increases for tram drivers should have anyone with zero hour contracts locked down until they’re changed! It’s an absolute scandal.
Wrong on every level, if they are in work they should be paid, in saying that if you don’t get paid don’t go back,
Cook ur own food ye fat lazy gits
This is were the ” me no speak English ” person comes in handy . You can totally abuse them and no one gives a sh!t…. Why ? …. Because no one gives a sh!t…
At the risk of being accused of being racist…..these type of jobs are the type that would appeal to migrant workers requiring employment quickly.Our government will of course do nothing to tackle this issue as it falls in line with their general approach to workers in low income employment.As most of these workers do not have to contribute much by way of tax , supporting the employer and getting a bit extra revenue via enhanced profits is the way to go.kenny and co…along with labour FG and SF..will do nothing
funny enough, I can see more young Irish faces there daily then in any supermarket..
Slave labour would be if you are not getting paid. You are getting paid according to your performance. I find that reasonable enough. Especially that people have this as a second job so can do 2-3h a day and make north of €50 if they aren’t lazy. I cannot see a issue. And its a contractor agreement not employment contract as many presume. There is no hourly rate in those. Paid per job not hours. Pretty standard.
Haha, don’t make me laugh. Its far from minimum wage…. tell you what. Test the system. Dust of the rothar and start at 3pm tomorrow. See your takings after 8 hours work at 11pm.
? you probably pressed a wrong reply button cos your answer doesn’t connect with my comment. Tell you what, If the people don’t like it they don’t have to work with them. simple as that. same like Luas drivers.. they want railway like pay, go work for them. Everybody is complaining and doing nothing to better themselves. why the f*** you work w Deliveroo and expect g paid for doing nothing? the whole system would collapse quite fast. Its all about performance. but that’s the problem w western countries, there is always a way how to freeload yourselves..
I agree Joe, I also assumed it was a contractor agreement, it’s a shame the article didn’t make that clear.
@joe
You seem to forget one simple blatantly obvious fact if you care to open your eyes, yes its right you should only get paid for the hours you work but Deliveroo workers have to be on call whether they are earning or not and precludes them from doing productive work elsewhere or even just having some time off.
They are a disgusting company and as so will never have me as a a customer.
“Joe slave labour is not always if you are getting nothing. Are the people working in sweatshops making your clothes getting 40c a day not in slavery?. I suggest educating yourself on your own comments before commenting
Do people tip the delivery drivers?
Irrelevant
Why yiz all still ringing them Usual Bullshit Keyboard warriors. Would not use them at all
just boycott them, that`ll sort it rapid.
Boycott Deliveroo. That’ll soften their cough.
The capitalist market works both ways. A worker can sell their labour to the highest bidder or the company that treats them the best.
If the company is unfairly taking advantage of its workers, all the good delivery drivers will go work for a competitor. If anything the flexibility model means they can walk out at anytime or work for multiple companies.
All the fancy branding in the world won’t save them if what they’re paying is only enough to attract rude, late, food damaging, poor English drivers and they don’t have enough staff to meet peak demand and loose orders.
Lazy Millenials! Go to the shops and cook your own dinner! Takes less time!
Go to the shop? Talk about lazy! Sure I grow all my vegetables and slaughter the cattle for meat meself!
In a taxi, passed by an accident where a deliveroo lad was hit by a car. He was lying on the ground. Taxi man rang deliveroo. They showed no concern for their employee. They were only interested in whether there was still food in the box. I would never use this company.
They sound like a FG/FF/LAB dream company driving pay and conditions to the ground to maximize profits
The ‘pay per job’ approach might explain why it’s such a common sight to see Deliveroo cycle couriers going through red lights at speed, weaving through pedestrians on footpaths/pedestrian streets and going the wrong way on one-way streets etc.
Why should they get paid when they are not doing deliveries?
Is the worm turning? Or is this a one off? This time last year most Journal.ie readers would have just said ‘that’s life, they should be happy to have a job’. This time around people can see the exploitation and are acknowledging it. Proper order.
“Hyper flexible working”just be honest and call it exploitation.
Has your company ever had anything delivered by bicycle messenger? Same deal and has been for years – no sympathy for them though, just branded as scofflaws.
Maybe they should get an app and people will give a shit.
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