Food Delivery Workers Express Concerns Over Their Well-Being During the Pandemic
Two delivery workers share their experience during the pandemic with Local.
Riding a bike in New York City can be added to the long list of things that can bring you joy, but entirely more so stresses you out — there’s the busy traffic, blocked bike lanes, and crossing pedestrians. For many, biking is only an activity for leisure or the occasional commute. However, for Grubhub delivery driver Musa, biking is necessary to make his living. Zooming cars and distracted pedestrians are hazards that come with the job — all hazards he’s had to navigate while faced with the biggest one of all: COVID-19.
While many have had the privilege of working from home during the pandemic, delivery workers have been spending their work days navigating the city streets, picking up orders from restaurants, and delivering food to others’ doorsteps. With more and more people turning to takeout options, the demand for food delivery drivers is substantial.
Although food delivery apps such as Grubhub and Seamless have implemented contactless delivery to further prevent the spread of COVID-19, some delivery workers worry for their well-being as the demand for their services has increased; one of those worries, aside from their health, is their financial well-being.
Musa, a delivery worker with Grubhub who asked to be referred to only by his first name, said that despite the increase in delivery orders, he has suffered great financial loss due to the fluctuating delivery demands during these uncertain times.
“Our earning rates went down,” he said. “One day, we could earn at least $200, but now we can’t even get half of our earning rates during the day.”
Musa also expressed concern about not receiving labor protection or health insurance from Grubhub.
“Delivery is independent work, you are responsible for what you do and what happens to you,” he said. “These companies don’t really give much thought to us delivery guys. Sometimes you can fall from a bike, sometimes you can get hit in an accident, you’re responsible for that.”
Although there has been more demand for delivery food services, the workers also haven’t received any extra compensation for the work they’ve done during this pandemic. “The amount of money that these companies are making per day is…wow, but us delivery guys don’t get nearly enough,” he said.
Grubhub, Inc. said that the pandemic is a “permanent catalyst” for the company. In its second quarter, Grubhub saw a 41 percent increase in revenue from last year.
Despite some having concerns about their financial and physical well-being, others say that they’ve had an overall positive experience during this pandemic, including delivery worker Neftaly Joshua Gonzales.
“My experience working as a delivery driver during the pandemic has been a pretty smooth experience,” said Gonzales, who works for Grubhub, DoorDash and Uber Eats. “During the lockdown, my work became increasingly important.”
Even though Musa and many other delivery drivers would prefer to have a more dependent relationship relationship with their contractors, Gonzales expressed his preference for independent work.
“I believe too many of us drivers think we should be treated as employees rather than contractors,” he said. “And in a way I understand it, but I prefer how things are set up.”
Most food delivery service companies consider their delivery workers as independent contractors, which means that in some states, they are not even considered employees of the companies they work for. In consequence, delivery companies aren’t liable for any accidents or injuries that might occur to their drivers during their shifts.
“We are going out there and risking our lives, but there is no aid for us,” said Musa.
