Bike couriers launch test cases in battle to boost ‘meagre’ pay

A cyclist uses part of the Cycle Superhighway in Kennington
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Cycle couriers have begun a legal bid to earn the minimum wage and the right to holidays and sick pay.

Test cases against London’s four main courier firms will try to end “meagre” pay of as little as £2 per job.

The capital’s “several hundred” bike couriers are usually hired as “independent contractors”, depriving them of many employment rights and meaning some can earn less than the equivalent of the £7.20-per-hour minimum wage.

Couriers Chris Gascoigne, Demille Flanore, Andrew Boxer and Maggie Dewhurst have lodged employment tribunal claims against their respective firms — Addison Lee, eCourier, Excel Group Services and CitySprint.

Their crowd-funded action is backed by the Independent Workers’ Union of Great Britain, which claims their classification as independent contractors is “bogus”. The couriers are seeking a written statement of their terms and conditions and “unpaid” holiday pay.

IWGB president Dr Jason Moyer-Lee told the Standard: “A ruling for us will affect the entire cycling industry.

“It’s a dangerous job. There’s no pay for sickness or holiday and riders earn so little. One bad accident turns your whole life upside down.”

Ms Dewhurst said: “Couriers should not suffer because some firm they work for can’t be bothered to pay them or give them normal employment rights. There should be something somewhere that provides a tiny bit of regulation.”

The first of the cases, against Addison Lee, is scheduled to open in June. The firm said it paid its couriers the best rate of £3 a job and was surprised to be included in the action.

It added: “We have received papers and will robustly defend the claim.”

Click here to visit the crowd-funding page for the cycle couriers' legal bid.

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