Strike Call by NGG at Lieferando in Hamburg Demanded - Protesters demand a work stoppage in Hamburg by NGG (abor union)
**Lieferando Workers in Hamburg Launch 36-Hour Strike**
Delivery workers at Lieferando in Hamburg, Germany, are set to embark on a 36-hour warning strike on Friday and Saturday, marking a significant escalation in ongoing labor disputes. The strike, called by the Nahrung-Genuss-Gaststätten (NGG) union, is the longest strike at Lieferando so far, according to Vincent Orth, NGG union secretary from the Hamburg-Elmshorn region.
The strike is part of a broader movement across Germany, as announced by the NGG, with similar actions taking place in cities like Berlin. The core issues driving these protests include unpaid wages, poor working conditions, pseudo-subcontracting systems, and the absence of sick pay.
**Unpaid Wages and Wage Theft**
Workers at Lieferando and other food delivery companies have accused management of withholding pay and not compensating for additional labor. The NGG is demanding fair and timely payment of wages to address this issue.
**Direct Employment Contracts**
The NGG is also pushing for an end to pseudo-self-employment and subcontracting models, which they believe create insecure employment and undermine workers' rights. They are advocating for direct employment contracts to ensure stability and protection for delivery workers.
**Work Safety**
Delivery jobs can be physically demanding and sometimes hazardous. The NGG is calling for improvements in workplace safety to protect workers from injury and ensure a safer working environment.
**Sick Pay**
Workers have reported being denied compensation during illness, which contravenes German labor law for regular employees. The NGG is demanding entitlement to sick pay and other standard workers' rights to ensure that delivery workers are protected during periods of illness.
These demands align with the issues highlighted in recent actions by delivery worker collectives in Germany.
During the strike, Lieferando's logistics company Takeaway Express expects hardly any restrictions for customers. Most restaurants are expected to deliver their orders themselves, and only a few drivers are expected to follow the NGG call.
The refusal of Lieferando's parent company, Just Eat Takeaway, to negotiate a collective agreement for the approximately 6,000 employees is the background for this action. The Dutch parent company is currently in the process of being taken over by the South African Delivery Hero majority shareholder Prosus, with the takeover scheduled to be completed by the end of the year at a cost of around 4.1 billion euros.
Shareholders of Just Eat Takeaway can still offer their shares until July 29. Despite the ongoing labor disputes, the management and supervisory board of Just Eat Takeaway support the deal.
[1] Source: NGG press release, Berlin protests, and various news reports on delivery worker protests in Germany.
- The employment policy that Lieferando and other food delivery companies follow is under scrutiny due to accusations of unpaid wages and wage theft, as mentioned in the community policy stated by the Nahrung-Genuss-Gaststätten (NGG) union.
- The NGG advocates for a change in the industry's finance structure, pushing for direct employment contracts and an end to pseudo-self-employment models that impact business practices and undermine workers' rights.
){kind=link}