We issue these demands not because we want Foodora to fail, but because as couriers and drivers we expect to be treated fairly. Moreover, we think that the outlined improvements will result in better motivated and committed workforce, which will ultimately be in the interest of Foodora.

We ask that Foodora addresses our demands in a satisfactory way by Friday September 14 at 12:00. If our demands are not addressed, the campaign continues to the next stage.

1) Repeal the recent pay cuts

Contrary to what Foodora claims, freelancers cannot earn more with the new pay system, which effectively is a pay cut. The removal of kilometer-based allowances and parking benefits further cuts the pay of car drivers.

Foodora must return, at the very minimum, to the old pay system for freelancers including the reinstallment of kilometer-based allowance and Easypark OR to a model which equals or supersedes the total pay of the previous agreement with an UTR of 2. The absence of kilometer-based allowance can only be compensated with an additional +1e/h and the absence of Easypark can only be compensated by Foodora taking responsibility for the potential parking fines.

2) More humane and transparent shift allocation, with possibility to guaranteed hours for freelancers

Foodora freelancers are divided into four “batches” according to their bi-weekly “performance” as determined by an algorithm. Shifts are made first available to the first batch, who gets first pick, while the last batch chooses from what shifts are left, if any. If freelancers do not continually take shifts, miss shifts due to sudden illness or other factors determined by the algorithm, their “batch” position falls and it becomes more difficult to get shifts in the future.

Foodora must return to system of shift allocation, which does not penalize freelancers for illness or unpaid leave, and offer the possibility of some guaranteed hours for freelancers.

3) Reinstate the rider space for couriers and drivers

In the past, Foodora had a common space where couriers could leave their belongings during the shift, eat, use the toilet, warm up, change clothes, store belongings and repair their bikes. These are essential to the work of the courier.

4) Some form of compensation for the maintenance of necessary equipment and guarantees/insurances for accidents and cases of illness for freelancers

Freelancers are responsible for providing and maintaining their bicycles or cars and necessary equipment like phones. Foodora must offer some form of compensation for the maintenance of work equipment and compensate work-related phone calls couriers need to make. A major problem for freelancers is the precarity caused by any lack of security in cases of accidents or sickness. If a freelancer cannot do a shift, because they get sick or are in an accident, they lose income—even if they are not punished by the batch system.

5) Possibility to get an employment contract for at least long-term freelancers

Those who have worked long at Foodora, should be given the possibility of becoming employed (with a part-time contract). This was the case in the beginning, when Foodora offered employment contracts for couriers, and this option should be returned. An employment contract would address concerns of security and guaranteed hours (demands 2 and 4) more comprehensively.