Deliveroo, Just Eat and UberEats drivers plan to strike every Friday over pay

‘If you don’t do anything, you’re not going to get anything. It will stay the same.'

Those hoping for a cheeky Friday evening takeaway should change their plans, as thousands of delivery drivers are set to launch fresh strikes.

Each Friday from 5pm to 10pm, delivery workers from giants Just Eat, Deliveroo, and Uber Eats will not deliver as they strike for better wages.

The protest was organised by Marcio Silva, 50, a training accountant who works part-time for Uber and Deliveroo.

Marcio told Metro.co.uk the idea formed a few months ago when he and a few of his other friends decided to take action.

He said: ‘Drivers cannot make it to the minimum salary. And we are trying our best to see if they can see us and increase our salaries, because for the past three years they have paid the same amount of money with no increase.

‘They’ve increased the percentage they take from restaurants, but are not paying the drivers. So we decided to take this strike to see if they do anything.’

Marcio explained that as part of his strike, he is campaigning for a base fee of at least £5 per order per delivery – but Uber pays only £2.80, and Deliveroo pays £3.15 currently.

‘If you don’t do anything, you’re not going to get anything. It will stay the same,’ he said.

‘These big companies, they’re gonna keep lowering the pay to make the profit for the shareholders. That’s not fair. We work for them, we are shareholders.’

For now, the strikes will only occur during the five-hour window on Friday evenings – a move which already runs the risk of a loss in wages for drivers.

Marcio added: ‘For Deliveroo, Uber, Just Eat, there will be a downside because they’re not going to make money.

‘If people see that there’s a chance they’re not gonna get the food they ordered, they won’t order to begin with. And that’s why we are trying to push ourselves, even though we will have losses.’

Strikes are currently taking place in almost all major UK cities, Marcio said, but have also spread to some areas in Portugal and even New York City.

The strikes earlier this month saw many go without their Friday night takeaway – but one customer who complained about not getting her order said she supported the strikes nonetheless.

A Just Eat spokesperson told Metro.co.uk: ‘We take the concerns of all couriers on the Just Eat network extremely seriously. Their welfare is important to us, and we welcome their feedback.

‘Our data shows that couriers delivering for Just Eat earn, on average, significantly over both the London and national living wage for the time they are on an order.

‘We provide a highly competitive base rate to self-employed couriers and have a good relationship with the vast majority of couriers across our network. In addition, we offer regular incentives to help them maximise their earnings and continue to review our pay structure regularly.’

A Deliveroo spokesperson said: ‘Deliveroo aims to provide riders with the flexible work riders tell us they value, attractive earning opportunities and protections.

‘Rider retention rates are high and the overwhelming majority of riders tell us that they are satisfied working with us. We value dialogue with riders and will enter collective bargaining with riders on pay in April. 

‘We are pleased to also be able to offer riders free insurance, sickness cover, financial support when riders become new parents and a range of training opportunities.’

Uber Eats have been contacted for comment.

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