THE Transport Workers’ Union is calling on the Federal Government to intervene after the food delivery service, Deliveroo allegedly underpaid a Canberra worker. 

Transport Workers’ Union lodged a case against Deliveroo after it underpaid a rider just over $10 per hour. The hearing will be seen in the Federal Circuit Court on October 8.

But, TWU national secretary Michael Kaine says it is also calling for the Federal Government to intervene in the case and to stand up to exploitation.

“This rider faced what thousands of food delivery riders endure every day: getting ripped off their wages. We don’t accept this and we will fight it,” he says.

“Just because a worker is engaged via an app doesn’t mean they should be forced to work below minimum rates. No amount of talk about flexibility can dress this up as anything but exploitation. Riders have the right to be paid a fair rate and that is what we will be fighting for.”

The union won the first case in Australia against a gig economy company, Foodora, last year, which has since exited Australia.

“The TWU has stood with riders and won a case for rights against Foodora,” Mr Kaine says.

“The Federal Government has failed to legislate following this victory and is ignoring the fact that riders in Australia are getting ripped off, denied superannuation, denied annual leave, refused adequate compensation when they are injured or assaulted on the job and are sacked without warning or the chance to appeal.

“It shows just how failed our system is that despite our win against Foodora last year riders must stand up to companies one by one in complex and lengthy court cases order to win rights.”

According to the Transport Workers’ Union, Deliveroo, which three months ago received $850 million from Amazon, has recently slashed their rates even further with riders now paid around $6 per delivery. Now, more than 2000 people have signed a petition calling on Deliveroo to raise their rates for riders.

A TWU survey of food delivery riders in Australia shows three out of every four are paid below minimum rates, showing almost 50 per cent of riders had either been injured on the job or knew someone who had. TWU says three UberEats riders have been killed while working.