Thousands of delivery drivers for firms including Deliveroo, Uber Eats and Just Eat will strike on Valentine’s Day to demand better pay and working conditions.
The strike has been planned for February 14 due to it being a historically popular night for takeaway services.
The UK strikes have been loosely organised by the group Delivery Job UK, which on social media said “sacrificing a few hours for our rights is essential, instead of continuing to work incessantly for insufficient wages”.
The post added: “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.”
A spokesperson for London-listed Deliveroo said: “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.”
Just Eat said it provided “a highly competitive base rate to self-employed couriers and also offer regular incentives to help them maximise their earnings”.
Further strikes are taking place in the US and Canada.
Deliveroo recently won a legal battle at the Supreme Court which ruled its riders cannot be considered employees and are therefore not entitled to benefits and collective bargaining rights.
The industrial action is a blow to the rapid food delivery market, which has struggled to convert growing revenues and customer acquisition into profitable business models.
Deliveroo and Just Eat both implemented major job cuts in 2023 as in recent years amid a tech downturn and a decline in the number of people ordering takeaways.
There are signs that cost-cutting measures are paying off for Deliveroo, which last August upped its earnings guidance and announced a shareholder dividend.
Earnings margins remain thin, however, with the latest wave of industrial disruption only adding to the pressure.
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