Just Eat drivers on strike in Telford amid calls for better pay

A group of drivers who work as independent couriers for the popular food delivery firm said they would be on strike until further notice, after saying they have seen significant reductions in earnings in recent weeks.

Just Eat allows people to order food on an app which is then delivered to their home by one of the firm's drivers.

But, the group of Telford drivers say the amount they receive per delivery had been cut.

One of the drivers said that the take home pay from a shift had gone down from around £100 to £60.

He said: "We were averaging between £10 to £15 an hour earnings but in the last two months it has reduced to £8 and £10 an hour maximum.

"As you can appreciate we have to pay for fuel, we have to pay for insurance, we have to pay for car maintenance. By the time you take those expenses out I reckon we are averaging £6 an hour."

He said the majority of the town's drivers were now part of the strike, but that some were continuing to operate.

The driver explained that the fee for an average five-mile delivery from the town centre to Madeley had been cut from £8 to £6.50, and that the 'boost' which applied to orders after 4pm had first been cut from £1 to 50p and then removed entirely.

The driver, who has worked for the company for more than a year and a half, added that the boost fee remains in place for drivers in other parts of the country, including Wolverhampton and Shrewsbury.

He said the boost fee had been removed 'without any consultation' and 'without anyone talking to us'.

The driver explained that a number of drivers had tried to contact the firm about the issues but had received no response.

He said: "We all decided that we are going on strike until they contact us to talk to us and let us know what is going on."

He added: "We have all got bills to pay, we have all got families to feed, so for the drivers to come around and say they cannot do it anymore shows how bad it is. These are drivers that have never been on strike before."

In an e-mail to the firm, the drivers said: "As you are aware, our partner drivers have initiated a strike in response to several ongoing concerns. This strike is a result of the dissatisfaction caused by the low delivery fees, the cancellation of the boost program, the rising fuel costs, and various other grievances that our drivers have been enduring.

"First and foremost, we want to emphasize that the partner drivers' strike is ongoing, and as of now, we do not have a set end date for it. It is essential for us to recognize the depth of frustration and the genuine challenges that our drivers are experiencing. Their dedication and hard work are crucial to the success of our platform, and we must address their concerns earnestly."

A Just Eat spokesperson said: “We take any concerns raised by our couriers seriously and our delivery payment model has been designed to give couriers the flexibility to deliver when they choose.

"We continue to offer a competitive base rate to self-employed couriers and pay is reviewed regularly."