Vienna, Linz, Salzburg

Bike messengers demonstrate today for higher wages

This Tuesday, bike messengers are demonstrating for better working conditions (archive image).

(Bild: APA/ROLAND SCHLAGER)

Bicycle messengers and food delivery workers are demonstrating today, Tuesday, for better working conditions and higher wages. In Vienna, a bicycle demo march was planned from the Climate Ministry to the Ministry of Labor, and there will be works meetings and rallies in front of Lieferando locations in Linz and Salzburg from midday.

The reason for this is a wage dispute between employees and employers. After four rounds of negotiations, the offer still stands at a salary increase of 5.8 percent, according to the union. "This does not even cover the (...) rolling inflation of 8.7 percent," criticize the employee representatives.

"We are calling on the social partners to return to the negotiating table, we are ready to negotiate at any time," says Toni Pravdic, head of negotiations at the vida trade union.

Only half employed under the collective agreement
In addition, only around half of the 4,000 to 5,000 employees in this sector are employed under the collective agreement, many are employed as freelancers. "Experience shows that a wage increase in the collective agreement also raises the income of the more than 2000 freelancers." 

In Vienna, the cycling demonstration by Foodora freelancers took place at 9.50 am today, Tuesday, in front of the Ministry of Climate Action. Among others, vida chairman Roman Hebenstreit spoke at the final rally at the Ministry of Labor. Foodora said it was not part of the labor negotiating team. The self-employed would make a conscious decision to do so and could switch to an employee relationship if they were "reliable".

Wage of 13.20 euros gross per hour
The one-person companies would earn an average of 13.20 euros per hour and would be covered by health, accident, pension and unemployment insurance. They do not receive a 13th and 14th salary. They are not subject to annual wage increases. At competitor Lieferando, on the other hand, all drivers are employed.

vida boss Roman Hebenstreit speaks at the rally in Vienna.

(Bild: APA/HERBERT NEUBAUER)

Warning strikes last week
The works meeting and the protest rally in front of the Lieferando hubs in Linz and Salzburg will both begin at 1pm. Warning strikes already took place in several provincial capitals last week, during which Foodora and Lieferando delivery staff stopped work for a few hours.