Wolt drivers in Nicosia and Limassol continued their strikes on Friday, rendering the delivery service unavailable for many users in both cities.
Drivers are calling for their wages to be restored after pay cuts were imposed, which they say come from fleet managers who also keep some 40 per cent of their wages.
Presidential candidate Achilleas Demetriades said the government could not simply be a spectator to such practices and had a role to play on the matter.
“This is an opportunity to openly talk about what is happening behind closed doors: working conditions should not be separated based on colour,” he said.
Most Wolt drivers are third-country nationals who are students, asylum seekers or political refugees and accuse the fleet managers of exploiting them because of that.
This is now the fourth day Nicosia Wolt drivers are striking and the second day for Limassol. Over 200 drivers are participating.
HTTPS:/CYPRUS-MAIL.COM/WP-CONTENT/UPLOADS/2022/12/WOLT2-SCALED.JPG
Although there have been issues in providing deliveries to parts of Nicosia for two days, Wolt told the Cyprus Mail “there are no thoughts for changing the working model.”
The issue stems from third-party companies where fleet managers hire drivers, that drive for Wolt. The fleet managers are compensated by Wolt for the rides drivers do, at a rate of above €8.50 according to the company.
Nonetheless, fleet managers keep some 40 per cent of the driver’s wages, with only a fraction trickling down to the actual drivers.
On top of that, drivers have had their rates set by fleet managers reduced over the past few weeks from €2.40 to €2.26.
Bonuses they had such as €0.50 compensation per kilometre for all routes, as well as €1.10 for deliveries done in the rain, have been scrapped.
Drivers have to pay for all fuel costs out of pocket, as well as all phone calls.
Despite days of strikes the drivers say “no one has come to speak to us about anything.”
Peo union said it had filed a complaint with the labour ministry on Tuesday. Wolt said it continues to be in touch with the ministry.
Contents of this article including associated images are belongs Cyprus Mail
Views & opinions expressed are those of the author and/or Cyprus Mail
Source
