The death of a food delivery rider was not reported to WorkSafe for over a year, the Transport Workers Union (TWU) union says, amid cries that unfit employment laws are endangering workers.
The 29-year-old man on an electric bike died in a collision with a van in Melbourne in November 2022. His identity has not been made public.
Since then, four more food delivery riders have died across Australia. In the seven years since food delivery apps were introduced, 15 delivery riders are reported to have died at work. Hundreds more have been injured, with more than 900 injuries being reported in Melbourne alone.
However, this number might be higher, since riders are considered independent contractors and therefore deaths and injuries are not always reported to WorkSafe. Australian law says employers must notify WorkSafe within 48 hours of becoming aware of a serious incident.
The TWU says industry reform is “undeniably urgent”, calling for riders to be recognised as employees and protected from “deadly pressures” through the course of their work.
“The TWU said the absence of rights and entitlements like minimum wage and protection against unfair contract terminations puts deadly pressure on workers to rush and take risks on the road to earn enough money and retain their jobs,” it said in a statement.
Speaking to PEDESTRIAN.TV, former food delivery driver Phoebe, who did not provide her last name, said delivering was “so dangerous”.
“I did it in winter and was driving my moped in freezing rain for hours at at time. There were days when I’d get home and I’d have to lie in the bath for hours to warm up,” she said.
“There were days when I would just not go into work because the weather was so bad, such as driving at night in the rain, I was worried I would get killed on the roads.”
Phoebe said that she was once knocked over by wind and lost a wing mirror. However, she was not allowed to go home and had to finish her shift with just one mirror. She said she resigned after getting into a car accident that knocked her off her scooter and left her with a fractured wrist.
What will happen next?
TWU National Secretary Michael Kaine said the reform was currently before the Senate, and must be passed without “further delay”.
“Enforceable standards are the only way to reverse the lethal race against time for these low-paid workers who need to complete as many orders as possible to earn enough and avoid algorithm warnings of deactivation,” he said.
Uber, DoorDash and Menulog all say rider safety is a top priority. The companies have policies to improve rider safety that include training and ensuring riders wear helmets and high-vis. They also have accident insurance for their riders.
In New South Wales, Premier Chris Minns has promised to give gig workers the same compensation and entitlements as employees. The Victorian government introduced voluntary standards that it said it would make compulsory this year, but has yet to do so.
The federal government is also making steps with the Fair Work Commission to set minimum pay rates and other conditions for gig workers.
The government is hoping to pass the reform in the Senate early next year.
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