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14th February 2024
03:42pm GMT
Anyone planning on getting a romantic takeaway tonight might need to rethink their Valentine's meal as delivery drivers across Ireland and further afield are planning a strike on Wednesday evening.
The planned action, which coincides with that in the United States, is due to the rider's pay being "ridiculous values," from as little as £2.80 to £3.15 per order, per BBC News.
The strike, which is thought to involve up to 3,000 riders across four food delivery apps, is set to take place between 17:00 and 22:00 GMT.
"Sacrificing a few hours for our rights is essential, instead of continuing to work incessantly for insufficient wages," Delivery Job UK wrote on their Instagram.
"Our request is simple: we want fair compensation for the work we do. We are tired of being exploited and risking our lives every day... It's time for our voices to be heard."
A spokesperson for the strike told the BBC strikers in the UK were looking for a £5 minimum earn per order to be introduced.
"They [Deliveroo] have lowered their fees. There's no incentive anymore. On a Friday night you could make £100 over 4-5 hours, now that's gone," they added.
In a statement to JOE, a spokesperson for Deliveroo said: "Deliveroo aims to provide riders with the flexible work riders tell us they value, attractive earning opportunities and protections.
"Rider retention rates are high and the overwhelming majority of riders tell us that they are satisfied working with us. We are pleased to also be able to offer riders free insurance, sickness cover, financial support when riders become new parents and a range of training opportunities."
A spokesperson for Just Eat also responded to JOE's request to comment by saying: "Just Eat takes the concerns of all couriers extremely seriously. Their welfare is important to us, and as such, we provide a highly competitive base rate to self-employed couriers and offer regular incentives to help them maximise their earnings.
"We continue to review our pay structure regularly and welcome any feedback from couriers."
A spokesperson for Uber Eats has also been contacted for comment.
