UberEats workers are calling foul after the company reduced the minimum payment per delivery in the UK from GBP4.26 to a mere GBP3.50 (about USD4.50) and have joined the walk-outs that are effecting fast food outlets across four continents. The delivery riders are demanding a flat fee of GBP5.00 per delivery, with an extra pound per mile.
This will, of course, make getting a Big Mac and fries delivered at home a bit on the expensive side, which may encourage more people to get out of their armchairs and take some exercise walking down to their favourite fast food outlet. Unfortunately, it is doubtful that this will be the case.
The minimum wage in the UK is GBP7.83 for over 25s, and UberEats argues that its average delivery courier makes between GBP9 and GBP10 per hour; the company also pointed out that many of the couriers use multiple apps and thus are not just deriving their income from UberEats. Of course, UberEats is conveniently forgetting that as a self-employed individual, the couriers have to fund the costs for the vehicle, including the fuel, and so perhaps the rates should go up.
The press is calling the industrial action the McStrike, but it doesn’t only affect McDonald’s. Globally, the fast-food industry is notorious for not paying high salaries; it would seem that Uber thinks it can do the same with its UberEats couriers. So, if you are a fast-food junky and live in Chile, Colombia, USA, Belgium, Italy, Germany, Philippines or Japan, then you may notice the lights being dimmed in your local ‘burger joint’ this week. But worse still, as you sit in your armchair desperately seeking sustenance to arrive via UberEats or one of the other delivery apps, you may come to the realisation that you will have to wait a lot longer than normal.
