The dark reality of working for a food delivery app
Food delivery apps are quickly becoming a go-to service and it’s easy to see why: press a button, and you can get food from your favourite restaurants delivered straight to your doorstep. But these apps have a seedy underbelly, with many delivery workers being exploited. The majority of workers are foreigners on temporary visas, who are attracted to the gig economy because of its flexibility and the opportunity to get around their visa restrictions. However, they are often subjected to varied pay, limited protection, changing terms and conditions, confusion around entitlements and out-of-pocket costs for accidents and medical care.
Alex Veen, an employment relations scholar from the University of Sydney, discussed the challenges of the food delivery industry and how conditions can be improved for workers.
