Strike Implemented at Lieferando over Collective Bargaining and Job Security Matters
The German trade union Nahrung-Genuss-Gaststätten (NGG) is leading a 72-hour warning strike in Dortmund against online food delivery service "Lieferando". The strike, which began at the Lieferando hub in the city, involves over 60 delivery drivers and is aimed at protesting against the planned dismissal of 2,000 delivery workers and demanding better working conditions.
The NGG accuses Lieferando of reckless labor practices, such as building a "shadow fleet" of subcontractors to undermine current drivers' contracts and force them onto worse terms, as well as cutting jobs without adequate social protections or negotiations on a social tariff plan.
The union's main demands include a collective tariff agreement that guarantees better wages, with a minimum of 15 euros per hour, replacing reliance on variable order bonuses. They also seek social tariff negotiations to cover all workers affected by job cuts, especially since many sites lack works councils that could negotiate social plans. The union is also calling for an end to the use of subcontractors and the avoidance or mitigation of mass layoffs.
Rider Lara hopes that the strike will increase visibility and bring the issue to the public eye, as she is concerned about Lieferando's outsourcing of jobs to subcontractors and the potential increase in workload and unpaid hourly wages. Another striker, Seyma, is proud of the solidarity the strike has generated so far. Julia, another striker, is confident that the strike is just the beginning and that there is more to come.
There is reportedly a lot of solidarity from politics in Dortmund for the striking delivery drivers. Politicians from Dortmund and North Rhine-Westphalia, including Fatma Karacakurtoglu (Die Linke+), Katrin Lögering (Greens), Bärbel Sumagang (DGB), Ulrich Piechota (SPD), and Lena Teschlade (SPD), have shown solidarity with the striking delivery drivers.
However, Lieferando has been unwilling to negotiate with the strikers for over two years, and the company leadership is reportedly hostile towards works councils. Works council member Jona has reported that the company sees works councils as a "problem" and has been fighting them strategically for years.
The gastronomy in Dortmund is reportedly operating on a low flame due to staff shortages. Despite this, the delivery business in the city is reportedly booming during the crisis. It is unclear if dismissed delivery drivers could be recruited by Lieferando's "shadow fleet" via eBay classified ads, working as pseudo-self-employed under significantly worse conditions.
The NGG's strike is about preserving secure, fair employment conditions in the face of Lieferando's shift toward subcontracting and large-scale layoffs, and pushing for legally binding agreements on wages and social protections for delivery workers in Germany. Gewerkschaftssekretär Boudih evaluates the strike as a success, stating that the operation is almost completely paralyzed.
- The German trade union Nahrung-Genuss-Gaststätten (NGG) is not only protesting against the planned dismissal of 2,000 delivery workers by Lieferando, but also accusing the finance industry-backed company of questionable labor practices, such as creating a "shadow fleet" of subcontractors and avoiding social tariff negotiations.
- Politicians from several parties in Dortmund and North Rhine-Westphalia, including Die Linke+, Greens, DGB, SPD, and SPD, have shown solidarity with the striking delivery drivers, indicating potential industry-wide support for better working conditions and fair employment practices in the business sector.
