Will Stuart Delivery recognise the IWGB union?
Stuart’s attempt to bypass the union ends in farce
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Support for Just Eat/Stuart Delivery drivers grows
Sheffield trade unionists and students to join community pickets
Just Eat/Stuart Delivery courier drivers resume their strike from Monday 10th January following a suspension of action over Christmas – to give Stuart Delivery a chance to respond to their demands
(Stuart Delivery is the labour sub-contractor for Just Eat – when you order a Just Eat food delivery, the courier is actually “employed” by Stuart who have cut their wages).
“Sheffield couriers are back out on strike next week” said Martin Mayer, Secretary of Sheffield Trade union Council. “Instead of addressing their demands, Stuart Delivery tried to bypass the Union by holding a secret “focus meeting” with selected couriers. When the union set up a picket outside Jury’s Inn on Tuesday, the Stuart managers cancelled the meeting and scuttled out the back door, so determined they were to avoid contact with the Union! What are they afraid of?” asked Martin Mayer.
The strikes will once again target Sheffield MacDonald’s outlets, one of Just Eat’s biggest customers. Sheffield trade union supporters and students will join the pickets to show solidarity support – and make a big public display to highlight the couriers’ demands. The strikes will be every day from 5pm to 8pm – the busiest times for MacDonalds and Just Eat. “The couriers have devised clever tactics to press their demands” said Martin Mayer “by targeting the busiest outlets at the busiest times. This will hit business takings hard whilst allowing the couriers to keep earning at other outlets and the rest of the day. They can sustain this indefinitely, if need be, and escalate when the need arises”.
The couriers, many of whom are members of the IWGB union, are demanding first a reversal of the recent pay cut which reduced the minimum payment for a delivery to just £3.40. They are also demanding a £6 delivery payment, payment for “waiting times”, and an end to a range of injustices including termination without notification or right of appeal. They are also demanding recognition of their union IWGB so that negotiations on their demands can take place properly.
“The couriers demands are very reasonable so it is very concerning that Stuart Delivery will not meet their union to discuss them, “said Martin Mayer. “After all, they are some of the most exploited workers in our city, on bogus self-employment with no security – and no paid holidays, sick pay or pension plus bearing all their transport costs and insurance etc.”