Motorcycle couriers protest online delivery giant Getir over low wages

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Motorcycle couriers employed by a subcontracted courier company that partners Getir, one of Turkey's leading online delivery firms, have taken to the streets to protest against recently announced low wage increases and unequal pay rates across different regions.

The workers organized a convoy and rode their motorcycles to Getir's headquarters located in İstanbul's Etiler quarter.

Emeğimiz için hakkımız için Getir Genel Merkezi'nin önünde toplanıyoruz. Bizler hakkımız olanı istiyoruz eşit işe eşit ücret talep ediyoruz! #VigoZam pic.twitter.com/PFew0QPmPx

— TEHİS (@tehisendikasi) July 7, 2023

According to the Tourism, Entertainment, and Service Workers Union (TEHİS), one of the managers of Vigo, the subcontracted company, allegedly threatened the protesting workers and even dismissed an employee.

TEHİS and the workers have put forward a list of demands, including an increase in the hourly wage to 75 Turkish Lira (1 US Dollar 26.08 Turkish lira) and a raise in the per-delivery payment to 30 Turkish Lira.

They also demand the elimination of the wage disparities between different regions, the removal of adjustment deductions, an end to unfair deductions falsely attributed to missing materials, and job security for the motorcyclists participating in the protest.

The surge of online delivery companies during the Covid-19 pandemic has witnessed a corresponding increase in worker activism in Turkey, with various companies' delivery workers staging protests, including work stoppages and slowdowns. These actions aim to address broader concerns such as job security, improved wages, and better working conditions.

At least 58 motorcycle couriers lost their lives on the job last year in the country, with 28 in İstanbul, the country's largest city, according to the Courier Rights Association. In the previous year, at least 30 motorcycle couriers lost their lives in work-related accidents. (TY/VK)