New York’s ‘essential’ food delivery workers demand rights

Thousands of food delivery workers are starting to organise themselves in New York City to ask for better working conditions with the help of the organisation Workers Right Project. — AFP

New York’s legions of food delivery men and women – who were declared essential workers during the pandemic but have no on the job access to bathrooms, health insurance or a minimum wage – are mobilising for the first time to demand better working conditions.

The 80,000 “deliveristas”, overwhelmingly Hispanic immigrants who zip around the Big Apple on electric or other bikes come rain, snow or shine, are following the example of other “gig economy” workers such as Uber drivers in Britain who won the right to unionise in May after being recognised as “salaried workers”, in a world first.