Deliveroo is going public for a €5-10bn IPO. That means more power for employers and less for workers, ignored by government.
Many riders have no national vote, no knowledge of their rights and no real contact with communities.
Elected officials may think: ‘Workers with no vote or voice? Not our problem.’
Until last week there was no union representing visibly or successfully representing or organising delivery riders in Ireland.
But since last month (with PBP’s Trade Union Department) delivery riders began self-organizing online in weekly afternoon meetings and inviting new riders in every week.
Now, SIPTU have agreed to help riders organise.
This is historic and bigger than our borders (See rights4riders.org).
In Italy and the UK last week, new decisions against exploitative bogus self-employment used by delivery companies shocked tech ‘investors’. Why did the courts rule on this or even notice it now? One word: Unions.
Change starts when people get organised. The easy media story is what politicians say; PBP’s story will be what working people do.
Riders are getting organised in unions. Unions will be setting the agenda as more riders join.
‘What Varadkar Thinks’ is not the story. The riders are.
Let’s get the word out to the rest of the riders:
There’s a union for delivery riders: join SIPTU today and organise.