How do the drivers who deliver food to your door get paid?

You open the Bolt or Wolt app on your smartphone and tap on the name of your favorite restaurant. You place your order, order pizza or sushi, and in less than an hour, someone will deliver it to your door.

The service, which has become an integral part of life for thousands of people, was temporarily halted after food couriers left last week.

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‘We are struggling with the Food Couriers on strike, they earn €3 per hour.1095039’

“target=”_blank” rel=”noopener”>Strike.

Workers said they have been struggling to make ends meet since the Bolt app cut its delivery rates.

Employment Minister Byron Camilleri Support strike And it warned companies accused of exploiting food couriers that they would be banned from employing the workers until an investigation was completed.

So who employs food delivery drivers and how do they get paid?

Platforms such as Bolt and Wolt do not employ couriers, but instead sign agreements with courier fleets to provide delivery services.

Food couriers in Malta are almost all third-country citizens.

On paper, their employment conditions are governed by a wage regulation order that comes into effect in January 2023.

The Digital Platform Delivery Wages Board Wage Regulation Order guarantees that couriers receive at least the minimum wage for a 40-hour work week.

They also enjoy benefits such as 1.5 times overtime pay, double pay for rest days, sick leave, injury leave, bereavement leave, marriage leave, vacation and statutory bonuses.

“The reality is completely different, the law is not being implemented”

But with Times of Malta Said the reality was quite different.

“The law has not been implemented. It is only on paper,” said 32-year-old Sandeep Singh.

Several couriers said they made money through revenue-sharing agreements with their bosses, a system in which couriers receive 60 percent of their earnings from their work and the boss keeps the rest.

“We have to use the money to pay for fuel,” one courier said, while adding that some fleet owners also pay for fuel themselves.

Couriers say the system leaves them earning less than the minimum wage per hour, so they make up for it by working longer hours.

Some said they worked 18 hours a day for just 3 euros an hour, or 700 euros a month.

This is no different to how fleet companies operating on ride-hailing apps work, which is why couriers are protesting Bolt’s pay cuts.

“Average partner income increased by 20%” – Bolt

Bolt said their partners have seen an average 20% increase in revenue due to the increase in deliveries per hour.

The company said that since January it had “terminated engagement with 28 fleets for failing to meet our expected engagement standards”.

When asked to explain the “engagement criteria,” they did not provide further details.

Several couriers said the information on pay slips often did not reflect the couriers’ actual income or work hours.

For example, if a courier works 40 hours a week but earns less than the minimum wage, the delivery fleet will ask the courier to sign a document indicating that they have applied for and received “unpaid leave.”

Times of Malta You have seen the examples in this document.

In response to questions, Malta’s two largest fleets, WT Global and Ferruggia Fleet, said they abide by the law.

“Healthy work-life balance”

WT Global said it complies with local wage regulations and ensures its couriers receive the minimum wage. A company spokesman said they also provide holiday and sick leave, as well as overtime pay.

Regarding the 60/40 model, the spokesperson said: “Our wage structure provides for a minimum wage in line with local regulations and provides for a 60% split. This ensures that highly productive individuals are incentivized through this scheme.”

A Ferruggia spokesman said the company took the welfare and rights of couriers very seriously and worked hard to ensure fair treatment and compliance with all relevant regulations.

“We encourage couriers to maintain a healthy work-life balance and strictly enforce rules around maximum working hours. We continually review our pay structures to ensure they offer a fair living wage.

“Our goal is to have full transparency on payroll. If there are discrepancies, we encourage couriers to report them so they can be resolved promptly,” they said.