Food delivery drivers in Dubai launched an extremely rare strike over At the weekend, they organized a mass strike that paralyzed them one of Emirate main Connecting apps He revived concerns about working conditions.
The strike began late Saturday and ended early Monday, when London-based Deliveroo agreed. in Letter to riders to refund workers’ wages to $2.79 per delivery instead of proposed rate of 2.38 dollars that ignited work It stopped as the company tried to cut costs amid rising fuel prices.
Amazon Supported Company also to retreat on Its plan to extend work shifts to 14 hours day.
“that it clear This is some of for us original intentions I have never clear Deliveroo said, “And we listen to the riders in Statement to the Associated Press (AP). “So we have currently Everyone paused changes and it will work with Our agency’s passengers ensure We have a working structure for Everyone and we have our agency passengers best Attention is at heart. “
strikes remain illegal in The United Arab Emirates, a union of Seven chiefdoms that bans trade unions and criminalizes opposition. Dubai government Did not immediately respond to the request for comment on strike.
delivery workers in Dubai, who Become a mainstay in The financial axis like demand It thrived during an epidemic, it has little protection.
to reduce costcomp like Deliveroo outsourcing bikeslogistics and liability to contracting agencies – the labor pipeline prevalent in the Arab Gulf states and can lead for abuse. Many poor immigrants drown in it debt Pay exorbitant visa fees to their contractors to secure their jobs.
The value of the British food delivery service is over 8 billion dollars.
News of Pay cut at Deliveroo – announced internally last week like cost of Fuel rises amid repercussions of war in Ukraine and the ongoing stifling situations in the supply chain – were devastating for 30-yearOld or old driver Muhammadu Labarang.
Already, he was paying for UAE record fuel prices out of He said: with 7 month old wife son back in Cameroon support.
When Labarang logged in social mediahe is found He was far from alone. He said, soon there were hundreds of Deliveroo drivers They were organizing on Telegram and WhatsApp.
dozens of drivers parked bikes by various Deliveroo Warehouses in In protest, according to widely circulated footage on social media. Some shut down they apps. Some rested in their places of residence and refused to do so work. Others went to restaurants and urged their fellow couriers to stop in the middle of the shift.
“All over Dubai we saw food getting cold on restaurant Labarang said. “It has grown beyond what anyone would think possible. “
K result- Deliveroo app one of Most Popular Delivery apps in Country, especially during final days of The month of Muslim fasting of Ramadan – it was pretty much down over weekend.
Some drivers Share WhatsApp voice Messages with AP from their managers in contracting agencies is asking them to return to work Immediately and ‘Don’t involve yourself in Any illegal activity. “
aware of them risk detention and expulsion for Stupendous drivers They were quick to confirm that their protest was in no way Politician.
“we know The ruleswe know It’s sensitive, that’s not it against United Arab Emirates,” said a 30-year-old Pakistani driver his name is Mohammad , who declined to give for him last Noun for afraid of Revenge.
But he said also He risks his life every day, roaming the dangerous roads of Dubai without accident insurance.
“We are human,” he said while riding his motorcycle. in Downtown Dubai after the strike. “We are not robots.”
