Police called to Just Eat delivery drivers 'poverty pay' protest at Greggs Newcastle HQ
Police attended a protest at Greggs Headquarters in Newcastle on Thursday (24 March).
Striking delivery drivers for take-away service Just Eat gathered at the bakery giant's offices in Longbenton in a stand against pay cuts.
Northumbria Police says officers attended after receiving a report of protest, liaised with the parties present and the group later dispersed.
As a client of Just Eat and its subcontractor Stuart, Greggs says it hopes the situation is resolved but has no direct involvement with driver pay.
The Independent Worker's Union of Great Britain (IWGB) is supporting the drivers and says "couriers are forced to work upwards of 12 hours a day for poverty pay".
The drivers, employed by Stuart, started strike action in December 2021 when the base rate of delivery pay went from £4.50 to £3.40.
Bryn Atkinson Woodcock, Stuart Courier, says: "As a client of JustEat and Stuart, it is important for Greggs to be aware of what is happening to the people that deliver their food.
"The cost of fuel is soaring, all of my bills have skyrocketed, and yet my wages are getting smaller and smaller. How can anyone looking at key workers struggling to support their families, turn a blind eye and say 'not my problem'?"
Stuart replaced the old pay system with a new 'Linear Pay' model which it says links payments more closely to the distance travelled.
A statement from Brendan Hamill, Stuart UK General Manager says: "It is wrong to say that Stuart’s new pay offer amounts to a pay cut. Data collected since the implementation of Linear Pay has shown an overall neutral to positive impact on courier pay in Newcastle.
"We take courier concerns very seriously and aim to be the most courier-centric platform in the sector.
"Stuart’s pay per hour is amongst the highest in the sector and average courier earnings, calculated by the time couriers spend on deliveries, exceed the real living wage and this has not been affected by the introduction of our new linear pay structure.
"All couriers using Stuart’s platform are given equal opportunity to voice their concerns with us and we act on them wherever possible.
"The ongoing action by a small number of couriers does not represent the sentiment of the couriers we interact with on a regular basis."
Although the drivers deliver for Just Eat, they are paid and employed by Stuart as a third party delivery company.
A Just Eat spokesperson says: "We are keen to maintain an open dialogue on issues that are important to couriers.
"We are working with our third-party delivery partner and are having ongoing discussions with them on this matter."
Protests have also targeted other clients like McDonald's and KFC.
IWGB says the pay cut works against Greggs’ commitment to socially responsible business practices throughout its supply chain.
Alex Marshall, IWGB President, says: “As one of JustEat’s biggest clients, Greggs is complicit in the exploitation of our key workers.
"Greggs claims to ensure that all workers in its supply chain receive fair pay and decent working conditions, but apparently this commitment ends at the last mile of delivery.
"Couriers are forced to pay fuel and vehicle costs out of their wages, and with the rising cost of living and recent fuel spikes, they are being pushed even further into poverty.
"If Greggs is serious about its pledge 'to work with partners to change the world for the better', it must intervene and urge JustEat and Stuart Delivery to reverse their savage pay cuts.”
A Greggs spokesperson says: “We are aware of the dispute, but we have no direct involvement nor influence with Stuart.
"Our delivery partner Just Eat will keep us updated, and we do hope the situation is resolved for everyone very soon.”