Negotiations on a new bicycle courier collective labor agreement have been stalled for months. That is why the food deliverers of Foodora and Lieferando have announced a strike action for tonight from 5:30 PM, during the European Football Championship match between Austria and France.
The messengers stopped work in Vienna, Graz, Salzburg and Klagenfurt. However, the delivery services Foodora and Lieferando do not expect major strike participation and therefore do not expect any significant restrictions on food delivery.
Money for sponsorship yes, for pay increases no
The union demands a wage increase of 8.7 percent; the employer’s most recent offer was 5.8 percent. It is a scandal that there is enough money for UEFA sponsorship, but not for a pay increase for employees, Markus Petritsch, Vida chairman of the road department, said in a press release. The strike is therefore taking place under the motto “You sponsor – we are on strike!”
Negotiations between employer and employee representatives in the sector have been at a standstill for months and there have been repeated strikes. However, many bicycle couriers are not covered by the collective labor agreement (KV) because they operate as freelancers or self-employed persons. There are approximately 4,500 bicycle couriers in Austria, of which only more than 2,000 are also employed by KV. Lieferando in particular uses its delivery staff in accordance with the collective labor agreement, while Foodora mainly employs freelancers. Even at Wolt, which is only represented in Vienna, only self-employed people and freelancers work.
Delivery services not impressed
Lieferando and Foodora were not impressed by the announced strike. “The strike call only applies to one shift, and within this shift, participation within our fleet remains manageable,” Lieferando said in response to an APA request. An 8.7 percent wage increase is not economically feasible for the company; this would increase the employer’s pure personnel costs to 19 euros per hour. “Customers would not be willing to pay the necessary price surcharges; no one can afford it,” says a spokesperson for Lieferando.
The strike will not affect Foodora’s customers and restaurant partners, the delivery service said in a statement. The “vast majority” of delivery drivers work as freelancers. “As a result, strike participation at Foodora is extremely low and we can offer our service with the usual quality,” the company explains.
Strikes have also been announced for the next matches in Austria
The union has announced further strike action by food delivery workers for the evening of June 21 and 25 – including during the Austrian European Championship matches.
Source: Krone
I’m Ben Stock, a journalist and author at Today Times Live. I specialize in economic news and have been working in the news industry for over five years. My experience spans from local journalism to international business reporting. In my career I’ve had the opportunity to interview some of the world’s leading economists and financial experts, giving me an insight into global trends that is unique among journalists.
