Uber Eats riders in Brussels will strike on 30 April and 1 May, demanding better pay and working conditions, according to The Maison des livreurs association.
Their main demands include a €2 increase per delivery and an additional €0.5 per kilometre travelled. "Pay rates haven’t increased since 2019, despite inflation of at least 20%," the collective criticised, while also calling for an end to automated locking out of their accounts for turning down a delivery request, which is "decided by the algorithm, with no real opportunity to defend their standpoint."
Legally, as of 1 January 2023, riders are recognised as employees, the association reminds. Furthermore, in late 2023 the Brussels Labour Court ruled in the Deliveroo case that delivery drivers must be classified as employees by the platform and have the same rights as other workers.
"While waiting for the authorities to enforce the law, our demands can no longer wait," insists The Maison des Livreurs. Riders express outrage at the "laxity of the authorities" in the face of the situation, and denounce discrimination, racism, and "administrative harassment" they suffer from, "while the platforms exploiting them go unchecked."
During the strike, the riders will talk to restaurant owners to seek their solidarity. A gathering is also planned on 1 May at 4:30 pm in Brussels, outside Uber’s Belgian headquarters.
