Deliveroo Drivers Are Striking In London In Row Over Pay

Deliveroo drivers are striking in central London as a row over pay continues to rage.

The on-demand food service has proved hugely popular in the capital since it was launched in 2013 by former investment banker William Shu and software developer Greg Orlowski.

But drivers for the service have now gone on strike in protest against a new contract that was trialled in May.

It’s claimed that that the new contract will mean that some drivers will be paid less than the minimum wage for people over 25.

Previous pay regulations saw drivers receiving £7 per hour plus £1 commission for each delivery - but the new scheme, which begins on Monday, will see drivers receiving a comparatively paltry £3.75 an hour.

Speaking to the BBC, driver Amir Ali said: ‘I won’t be able to pay my rent.’

Deliveroo users have now reported delays of up to 1.5 hours as a result of the strike, and others have spotted a convoy of up to 50 striking drivers in West Hampstead.

In June, an anonymous Deliveroo worker penned a tell-all piece for The Guardian, in which they claimed that the service’s cashless system means that drivers rarely receive tips.

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They wrote: ‘A lot of my colleagues travel in from other parts of London so they can’t go home between the two shifts – they are essentially sacrificing 10 hours a day but only being paid for six.’

Deliveroo has also been criticised for failing to provide sufficient training for delivery drivers - with some allegedly spotted cycling in the dark without lights or high visibility clothing.