JUST Eat couriers are striking due to a pay cut set by the company's subcontractor, with disruption caused in Middlesbrough, Newcastle, Sunderland and potentially Darlington next.
Pickets outside branches of Greggs in Middlesbrough are now a daily occurrence, as Greggs is one of Just Eat’s biggest clients in the area. Next week a meeting will be held in Darlington to discuss plans for protests and picketing there.
Although couriers deliver for Just Eat, the striking drivers actually work for a company called Stuart.
Stuart describes itself as Europe’s leading on-demand logistics platform, connecting retail and hospitality businesses with an army of local independent couriers.
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Founded in France in 2015, with a mission to “disrupt last-mile delivery in urban areas”, Stuart’s UK revenues doubled during the pandemic.
The British arm of the firm recorded a turnover of £41m in 2020, up from £20.5m in 2019, with gross profits almost £13m (31.5 percent), up from £566,000 (2.76 percent) in 2019.
Last autumn, however, Stuart implemented a pay cut for couriers.
The rate “per drop” was reduced from £4.50 to £3.40. The couriers are protesting the fact that the ‘starting point’ was already insufficient before this pay cut was introduced.
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The strikes started in Sheffield in December but now there are daily pickets in Middlesbrough, and there have also been protests in Sunderland and outside Greggs Head Office in Newcastle.
Charlie McNamara, head of organising at the Independent Workers Union of Great Britain (IWGB), said: “There will also be a meeting in Darlington next week so drivers can discuss their course of action.”
Alex Marshall, president of the IWGB, said: “These are the workers who were applauded throughout the pandemic. These key workers delivering goods and now they are being thanked with a pay cut.
“The couriers are now targeting Just Eat’s big clients such as Greggs that have a very ethical image but are implicit in this mistreatment by having their sausage rolls delivered to customers by people who are making barely anything and struggling to feed their families, and then with the cost of living crisis coinciding with the rising cost of fuel, it’s just impossible for these couriers to make enough money. Stuart is preying on desperation.”
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Alfred, a courier for Stuart, from Middlesbrough, told The Northern Echo: “How can we make any money at all when they’re (Stuart) cutting our pay? It’s not right and that why we’re saying no more and we’re picketing outside Greggs and McDonalds.”
In response, Brendan Hamill, Stuart UK General Manager said: “Data collected since the implementation of Linear Pay has shown that the new pay regime has had a neutral to positive impact on courier pay.
"We take courier concerns very seriously and aim to be the most courier-centric platform in the sector. The ongoing action by a small number of couriers does not represent the sentiment of the couriers we interact with on a regular basis.”
Meanwhile, a spokesperson for Just Eat said: “We are keen to maintain an open dialogue on issues that are important to couriers. We are working with our third party delivery partner and are having ongoing discussions with them on this matter.”
Greggs said it was "aware of the dispute" but that it had no direct involvement nor influence with Stuart.
It added: "Our delivery partner Just Eat will keep us updated, and we do hope the situation is resolved for everyone very soon.”
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