Just Eat: Italian riders hired as employees

Today, food delivery is available in many Italian cities. It often happens to meet, even in the late evening, young people riding their bikes, mopeds or electric scooters to deliver meals to customers. 

One of the main leaders in food delivery is definitely the Danish company Just Eat which today offers its service in 23 Italian cities. Last year, Just Eat riders protested against the agreement signed in September between AssoDelivery and the UGL union which identified them as self-employed workers. In fact, riders are currently considered independent workers, paid according to the number of deliveries made and the distance travelled for each order, and therefore without any type of protection. 

But here is a revolution in Just Eat world, according to the latest news, this year the many riders working around Italy can be hired with employment contracts. 

The first recruitments will begin next March in Lombardy, in Monza, through the Scoober model, already used in 12 countries, which provides subordinate employment contracts thus guaranteeing riders the right protections. The allowance for night work and holidays, maternity/paternity, sick leave, hourly wages, insurance coverage, training, social security protection and free safety devices (such as helmet, backpack and clothing for high visibility) are the main goals riders have finally achieved. 

Employment contracts can be full time, part-time or on call, the hourly wage should be around 9 euros per hour, but as the company has specified, the basic pay will be 7.5 euros gross to which bonuses related to the number of deliveries, the allowance linked to the use of one’s own vehicle and the insurance can be added. According to some sources, Just Eat will hire about 3 thousand riders with employment contracts. 

At the same time, the first hubs will be opened in some of the cities where Just Eat service is available, including Milan, Turin, Naples, Bologna and Rome. The Just Eat logistics centres will allow riders to find and use the sustainable vehicles made available by the company such as electric bikes and scooters for home delivery. 

“The introduction of an employee work model for riders represents for us an ethical and responsible choice, in line with the strategy that the Group is already successfully pursuing in other European countries. This is a great investment which will allow us to work with contractually protected riders and also to further support the development of the service in Italy, offering an increasingly complete and efficient food delivery experience for consumers and our restaurants”, declared Daniele Contini, Country manager of Just Eat in Italy.