Deliveroo / Uber strike

[simonineaston]

I read that there is to be a strike by food delivery folk tomorrow. https://www.theguardian.com/business/20 ... SApp_Other
I see a lot of these guys here in my home city. They’ve changed the local biking landscape markedly in the past decade or so… and often not in a good way. But I can see that they're part of a thriving and successful sea change in the way mainly youngsters shop and eat.
Do we applaud them for their green approach to short delivery journies and sympathise with them having to be out on all weathers, struggling to make a living wage. Or are we appalled at their refusal to recognize red lights, cheerful delight in going the wrong way down one way streets and ability to whizz along at 20mph without peddling?

[Jdsk]

I read that there is to be a strike by food delivery folk tomorrow. https://www.theguardian.com/business/20 ... SApp_Other
I see a lot of these guys here in my home city. They’ve changed the local biking landscape markedly in the past decade or so… and often not in a good way. But I can see that they're part of a thriving and successful sea change in the way mainly youngsters shop and eat.
Do we applaud them for their green approach to short delivery journies and sympathise with them having to be out on all weathers, struggling to make a living wage. Or are we appalled at their refusal to recognize red lights, cheerful delight in going the wrong way down one way streets and ability to whizz along at 20mph without peddling?

As previously discussed... from where we are now something like a Code of Conduct for both conditions of employment and use of public roads may be the most practical intervention.

Jonathan

[PH]

As I've posted here before it's been part of my income for the last six years, for three of those it was good enough to be my sole income, though my earning requirements are pretty modest. It's become increasingly harder post pandemic, to the point where I'm back in full time employment and just doing deliveries a few hours a week.
The reasons are simple, more riders/drivers, needing to earn more money to cover rising costs, while the customer base has decreased. The providers don't care about the lot of those it contracts, there's no incentive for them to increase the fees while there's so many willing, if reluctantly, to pick the jobs up.
For the same reasons the strikes won't work, this isn't the first, I'd be surprised if there was 20% support and the other 80% will see fewer competitors as a bonus.

There is also a growing criminal element to the delivery business, Deliveroo allow you to subcontract and place the responsibility of who you employ with the initial contract holder and no one checks, other providers don't permit this, though they don't put any effort into stopping it either. People without the right to work in the UK are being exploited. It's moved a long way from the camaraderie I enjoyed when it started locally.

[Bmblbzzz]

I was going to say, will BARBI will be on strike too, but it seems they're no longer functioning. This is slightly sad.

[roubaixtuesday]

As per many "tech" companies, they prosper by means of

1) Exploiting the avoidance of workers rights (hence this strike)
2) Building then exploiting a monopoly (much easier through Web based than traditional businesses)
3) Offshoring revenue to avoid the obligation to pay tax.
4) Buying political influence to protect the above

They're basically vultures on the rest of the economy. Amazon, Facebook, Google etc they're all basically the same. Avoid where practically possible.

[mattheus]

I read that there is to be a strike by food delivery folk tomorrow. https://www.theguardian.com/business/20 ... ry-drivers

It's tomorrow now - it wasn't when you posted

I only point out this out as they have very deliberately chosen VALENTINE'S DAY.

Good on 'em I say - these companies are a bunch of cowboys.

[Bmblbzzz]

So, how did it go?

[mattheus]

So, how did it go?

Fine thanks - I went to Sainsburys, job done!

[PH]

So, how did it go?

As I predicted.