📈 Growth of Employee Councils
Since the COVID-19 pandemic, couriers at Lieferando, the German logistics subsidiary of Takeaway Express, have secured significantly more participatory rights. Now, there are over 24 committees with around 200 elected representatives covering about a third of delivery areas. Three years ago, employee councils existed in only four cities.
💼 Historical Context
Lieferando introduced employee participation in 2019 after acquiring competitor Foodora, which had its own employee council. Attempts by management to dissolve this council failed in court. Since then, the couriers have organized more widely, aided by the NGG union, which offers training and has a working group for delivery services.
⚖️ Legal Battles
"Every participatory right must be litigated," says NGG's Mark Baumeister. Disputes are frequent, often concerning the validity of council elections. Currently, Lieferando's lawyers are challenging six of the 24 councils, questioning whether certain delivery areas qualify as independent operations. Other legal issues include service schedules and hiring.
📅 Future Challenges
Despite tensions, Lieferando management calls the participation "a commendable success," noting numerous agreements on work hours and bonuses. However, direct discussions are rare. NGG demands a collective agreement and a fixed hourly wage of at least €15 ($16.50). Baumeister warns of nationwide strikes in the second half of the year if negotiations do not progress.
Do you think Lieferando's labor issues will be resolved?
