Just Eat couriers will demonstrate outside of Greggs's Newcastle HQ as part of a historic strike over pay cuts.
The couriers, who are part of the Independent Workers’ Union of Great Britain (IWGB), will target Just Eat client Greggs on Thursday, March 24. It comes as subcontractor Stuart Delivery, which employs the couriers, slashed the base rate of delivery pay by 24% in December 2021 amidst the cost of living crisis.
The IWGB union says Stuart Delivery couriers are forced to work "upwards of 12 hours a day for poverty pay," with the pay cut seeing wages drop from £4.50 to £3.40. JustEat couriers are also forced to pay fuel and vehicle costs out of their own wages.
The union says that the pay cut runs contrary to Greggs’s commitment to socially responsible business practices throughout its supply chain. The firm claims all workers should work reasonable hours and that “wages should always be enough to meet basic needs”.
Courier Bryn Atkinson Woodcock said: “As a client of Just Eat and Stuart, it is important for Greggs to be aware of what is happening to the people that deliver their food. The cost of fuel is soaring, all of my bills have skyrocketed, and yet my wages are getting smaller and smaller.
"How can anyone looking at key workers struggling to support their families, turn a blind eye and say “not my problem”?"
The demonstration at Greggs comes as part of what has become the longest gig-economy strike in history. Couriers have already targeted major Just Eat clients McDonald’s and KFC as part of the action which has been running for 91 days.
Strikes have taken place across the country in areas including Middlesbrough, Leicester, and Kent, as couriers demand a pay rise.
Alex Marshall, president of the IWGB union, said: “As one of Just Eat’s biggest clients, Greggs is complicit in the exploitation of our key workers. Greggs claims to ensure that all workers in its supply chain receive fair pay and decent working conditions, but apparently, this commitment ends at the last-mile of delivery.
"Couriers are forced to pay fuel vehicle costs out of their wages, and with the rising cost of living and recent fuel spikes, they are being pushed even further into poverty. If Greggs is serious about its pledge 'to work with partners to change the world for the better', it must intervene and urge Just Eat and Stuart Delivery to reverse their savage pay cuts.”
Stuart UK said the pay offer did not amount to a cut in wages and that its pay per hour for couriers is amongst the highest in the sector.
Brendan Hamill, general manager of Stuart UK said: "It is wrong to say that Stuart’s new pay offer amounts to a pay cut. Data collected since the implementation of Linear Pay has shown an overall neutral to positive impact on courier pay in Newcastle.
"We take courier concerns very seriously and aim to be the most courier-centric platform in the sector. Stuart’s pay per hour is amongst the highest in the sector and average courier earnings, calculated by the time couriers spend on deliveries, exceed the real living wage and this has not been affected by the introduction of our new linear pay structure.
"All couriers using Stuart’s platform are given equal opportunity to voice their concerns with us and we act on them wherever possible. The ongoing action by a small number of couriers does not represent the sentiment of the couriers we interact with on a regular basis.”
Just Eat stressed that it was Stuart that sets courier pay, not Just Eat, as it said that discussions on the dispute were ongoing.
A Just Eat spokeswoman 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 they were aware of the pay row and hope the situation is resolved soon.
A Greggs spokeswoman said: “We are aware of the dispute, but we have no direct involvement nor influence with Stuart. Our delivery partner Just Eat will keep us updated, and we do hope the situation is resolved for everyone very soon.”
