UberEats drivers to picket London restaurants
Drivers for Uber's food delivery service, UberEats, are planning to picket London restaurants over pay, reports the Guardian.
Scooter and bicycle couriers protested outside an Uber office in Bermondsey, south London, on Friday (26 August), calling on the company to pay the London Living Wage (£9.40 an hour), plus costs.
Protest organiser Imran Siddiqui told the Guardian riders are now planning to picket London restaurants and disrupt businesses.
UberEats drivers are paid a base fare of £3.30 per delivery and £1 per mile between the restaurant and drop location, with a 25% fee taken by the company. Drivers also get an added £4 per delivery in peak times, £3 off-peak. Uber said this amounted to a minimum of £13 per hour, assuming the driver makes two deliveries an hour.
All drivers are self-employed, which means they do not receive holiday or sick pay, or any hourly wage while they wait for orders.
Last week Alex Czarnecki, general manager of UberEats London, claimed couriers delivering lunch and dinner that week had made over 10% more an hour than the week before, which had been on average more than the London Living Wage.
He added: "We're committed to being the best option for couriers in London. Unlike other companies we don't set shifts, minimum hours or delivery zones - couriers can simply log in or out when and where they choose. Our office is open and our team is always available to chat to couriers."
Rival delivery service Deliveroo recently abandoned new contract plans after criticism from its own couriers.
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