French Deliveroo riders urge public to join them in boycott

Dozens of Deliveroo cyclists in Paris are expected to strike today against new pay scales they say will lower their wages.

Around 50 riders gathered at the Place de la Republique on Wednesday night to press their case against the British-based company.

The couriers carried out blockages and protests after Deliveroo announced that it would no longer guarantee a minimum of 4.70 euros per delivery in the French capital.

Jean-Daniel Zamor, president of a Paris collective of freelance food deliverers, urged clients to support the movement.

Getting clients involved
Zamor said: “Today we want clients to know what's going on.

“Just for today, we're asking them not to order via Deliveroo or connect to the site.”

The company also cut pay for shorter trips while increasing it for longer routes, which riders avoid because of the distance and effort involved.

Workers are also complaining that they are not paid while they wait in restaurants to collect pending orders.

Fast expansion
Since its launch in 2013, Deliveroo has expanded into 500 towns and cities across the world.

France is, after Britain, the second-largest market for the company which has drawn criticism for its reliance on freelance couriers.

Deliveroo France has rejected the protesters claims, insisting that the new pay rules will lead to higher earnings for more than 54 percent of orders.

The company has firmly shown their disapproval at the protests, with a spokesperson saying:

“Those calling for a boycott are not Deliveroo workers and do not represent them.”