Meal delivery services like UberEats, Deliveroo and Thuisbezorgd are squeezing their couriers financially. Uber Eats in particular comes out badly; delivery drivers there earn a net hourly wage of 5.80 euros.
FNV compared the earnings of delivery drivers with the collective labour agreement for the transport and logistics sector, reports RTLZ. This shows that the meal delivery services pay too little wages. In the TLN collective labour agreement, the net hourly wage is 13.80 euros. At Thuisbezorgd that amount is 10.81 euros, at Delivero 9.99 euros (7.90 euros when couriers drive as self-employed workers) and at UberEats 5.80 euros.
Most delivery drivers are not paid by the hour, but by the order. "At their best, they work through a temporary employment arrangement, but most are paid by a sham client on a piecework basis," said FNV.
Labour agreement
The results of the study will be presented to the House of Representatives today. FNV wants couriers to be automatically given an employment contract, even if they have 'an algorithm' as an employer. The union hopes the government will further regulate the sector.
Response delivery services
Thuisbezorgd says it does not recognise itself in the accusations. The company works with temporary workers who are paid more than the minimum wage and are insured. Spokesman Joris Wilton thinks the comparison with the TLN collective labour agreement is inappropriate. "That is for truck drivers," he says. "Very different conditions apply here, we mainly work with young people who earn extra money."
Deliveroo and UberEats cite the flexibility they offer couriers. "Every month we get thousands of applications from young people to work with us. Partly because the earnings are good and they can work flexibly as freelance delivery drivers," reads Deliveroo's response. UberEats says it is closely monitoring the compensation for delivery drivers and will take action if necessary.
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