* Natalie Bennett: “While the ‘gig economy’ means cheaper and more convenient services for customers, it all too often relies on - and facilitates - the exploitation of workers.”
The Green Party has offered its full support to Deliveroo riders striking over changes to their pay and working conditions [1].
Natalie Bennett, Green Party Leader, said the proposals put to riders fall “far below” a living wage.
She said:
“I stand in full solidarity with Deliveroo riders striking today. The new offer made by their employers still falls far below a living wage and fails to address the fact that riders’ employment contracts offer no security in the event of sickness or accidents.
“This strike highlights that while the ‘gig economy’ means cheaper and more convenient services for customers, it all too often relies on - and facilitates - the exploitation of workers.”
At the weekend Deliveroo said riders unhappy with the new proposals, which would see them paid £3.75 per delivery, can continue to be paid under the old system, under which they got £7 plus £1 per delivery.
The Government has ordered Deliveroo to pay riders the National Living Wage - £7.20 an hour for those aged over 25 [2]. But the Living Foundation calculates the amount people actually need to survive is £9.40 an hour in London and £8.25 outside the capital [3].
Bennett added:
“I welcome the government’s intervention in the Deliveroo dispute this weekend, but they must do more to crack down on these dodgy employment practises - which will only become more prevalent in the years to come.”
Bennett wrote last week of how the strike, organised without a union, is the start of the casual workforce fighting back to conditions which have been an attack on their worker’s rights [4].
Notes:
1. https://www.theguardian.com/business/2016/aug/15/deliveroo-boss-says-sorry-for-pay-dispute
3. http://www.livingwage.org.uk/
4. http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/why-deliveroo-strike-matters-future-workers-rights-1575773