Gig Economy Giants and TWU Propose Landmark Minimum Standards for Delivery Workers
The Transport Workers Union (TWU) has joined forces with Australia’s two largest on-demand delivery platforms, Uber Eats and DoorDash, in a historic move to establish minimum standards for workers in the on-demand economy. The three parties have made a joint submission to the Fair Work Commission (FWC) requesting the establishment of a set of minimum standards, including safety net pay rates, for delivery drivers and riders.
The agreement requires approval from the Fair Work Commission. If approved, the proposed Minimum Standards Order (MSO) would introduce legally enforceable new protections and baseline standards that the TWU has championed for many years.
Key Standards Agreed Upon
The joint proposal includes several crucial standards designed to strengthen protections and provide certainty for thousands of platform workers. The key agreements include:
- Minimum safety net pay rates for all classes of transport types.
- Dispute resolution processes.
- Representation rights.
- A voice for platform workers, facilitated through engagement and feedback mechanisms.
- Accident insurance for injured workers.
This landmark achievement is described as the latest milestone in an ongoing collaboration between the TWU and the digital labour platforms, aiming to improve the quality, safety, and security of platform work.
A “Life-Changing” Increase
TWU National Secretary Michael Kaine stated that gig workers have campaigned for years for a better industry. Kaine emphasized the significance of the proposal, noting that for the first time in the world, there could soon be a minimum floor that represents a “life-changing increase to their pay”. He called the joint submission, following constructive discussions, a “significant step towards a fairer gig economy”.
The parties are looking forward to the FWC considering these new standards and working towards a strong foundation for fairness in the gig economy.
Flexibility and Modern Laws
Both Uber Eats and DoorDash executives highlighted the importance of balancing improved working conditions with the flexibility inherent in platform work.
Simon Rossi, VP DoorDash APAC, stated that delivery workers are essential to keeping Australia moving, supporting busy households and small businesses. He noted that the proposal demonstrates that they “can work together to lift standards and still enable the flexibility people rely on, under the Government’s new laws”. Rossi added that since the on-demand economy is now a vital part of how Australians live, work, and earn, “it’s important that working standards evolve too”.
Ed Kitchen, Managing Director for Uber Eats Australia and New Zealand, maintained that Uber Eats has long supported “sensible and modern reforms” that strengthen protections while maintaining flexibility. Kitchen emphasized that flexibility is one of the key reasons people choose to gig work after nearly a decade of the platform operating in Australia.
Kitchen concluded that the submission is a “meaningful step towards building modern laws for modern forms of work, giving delivery people what they value the most – the protection of minimum pay rates, security and flexibility”. This current effort builds on a landmark Statement of Principles signed between Uber Eats (across both rideshare and food delivery) and the TWU in 2022.
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