UberEats drivers are protesting today (Friday 26 August 2016) in a bid to be paid the London living wage rather than per delivery.
Currently, drivers earn £3.30 per delivery during off-peak times, plus a mileage payment covering the distance between the restaurant where food is collected and the drop location. During 11.30am and 2.30pm, riders can earn a £4 promotional payment on top of the base £3.30 per job, or a £3 promotional payment per job between 6.30pm and 9.30pm. UberEats takes a 25% fee from the total earned.
According to drivers, these promotion payments have been cut as the business grows. Working with the Independent Workers Union of Great Britain (IWGB), riders are asking UberEats to be paid the independent London living wage of £9.40 an hour.
The demonstration is taking place between 11am and 11pm, outside UberEats' London headquarters.
Drivers are classified as self-employed, meaning that they do not receive holiday or sick pay, or an hourly rate of pay while they waiting for orders.
Mags Dewhurst, the chair of the couriers and logistics branch at the IWBG, said: “Uber is becoming less and less rewarding to work for. It is reducing its rates during peak times as a response to piece rates.
“By paying a piece rate, [it is] saying it only wants to pay for work when it can make a profit out of it. [It is] saying work is only when someone is making a delivery, but people are providing a service to the [organisation] when they are standing around waiting for orders. Without that, UberEats wouldn’t be able to function.”
