The strike action is initiated by the Brussels courier collective La Maison des Livreurs and is supported by, among others, the Christian trade union ACV. The couriers are specifically demanding a pay increase of at least 2 euros per trip and 0.5 euros per kilometer traveled. “The fees have not increased since 2019, while inflation has been at least 20 percent,” the initiators say.
In addition, they criticize, among other things, that Uber does not want to consult on the status of meal deliverers and the government’s laxity in that area, explains Martin Willems of ACV United Freelancers. Although the Brussels labor court ruled at the end of last year in a case against Uber Eats competitor Deliveroo that couriers who deliver meals should be considered employees, nothing has changed yet, it said.
Willems expects that “several hundred” couriers will participate in the strike actions. “The focus is in Brussels, but there are also contacts with couriers in Ghent, Liège and Antwerp,” he says.
The meal deliverers also requested consultation with Uber during their action on May 1. According to Willems, they have not yet received a response.
