Bicycle couriers protest Deliveroo pay cut in France

The pay is planned to be lowered from around just under 10 euro per delivery to a mere 5 euros. Beyond this new rule, workers denounced their precarious working conditions in general.

The bicycle courriers, mostly employed by Deliveroo, Foodora and Uber Eats, protested the sharp drop in pay that Deliveroo will be implementing from August 28th.

Most workers are currently paid 7.5 euros per hour plus a 2 to 4 euros ‘bonus’ per delivery. Others earn 5.75 euros per delivery in Paris and 5 euros outside of the capital.

Deliveroo will now apply a single 5 euro-per-delivery pay rate. The company is known for its aggressive measures against workers.

Last May, it sparked outrage among bicycle couriers when it appeared that some workers’ apps were arbitrarily deactivated leaving them jobless.

Deliveroo argued that this was due to non-compliance with the terms of the contract, such as workers not wearing the green uniforms.

But beyond this recent measure, protesters denounced precarious conditions: firms offer no medical insurance, no money to cover bike repairs, and demand excessive working hours.

One protester said that for a 35-hours work week - the French labour hours limit per week- he only earns 600 euros, which is 400 euros below the minimum wage.

Resistance among delivery workers in France has been building up starting shortly after the nationwide struggle against the downsizing of workers’ rights in the Spring of 2016.

In the Parisian region, CLAP (collectives of autonomous delivery workers of Paris) was created a few month ago and members of the collective were present at the protest on Friday.

The collective hopes to federate workers in the streets and has been regularly speaking out on national media such as France 2. It seeks to organize for better working conditions, against pay cuts as well as physical and economic insecurity.