The transport gig worker community has been rocked by another food delivery rider death in Melbourne last night.
The 18th food delivery rider known to have died in Australia was killed in a hit and run late Tuesday night in Port Melbourne, with the driver now in custody.
In 2023 two food delivery riders were killed in the span of two weeks, both working the Saturday night dinner rush. A third was killed the evening before gig companies Uber, Doordash and Menulog gave evidence at the Senate Inquiry on the Closing the Loopholes bill.
With the Closing Loopholes legislation taking effect from 26 August, the TWU is preparing to submit applications to the Fair Work Commission on fairer standards for gig workers next week.
A TWU and Teacho survey of over 1000 gig workers showed two thirds of full-time workers earn less than minimum wage, and over three quarters have to work long hours to make ends meet.
The TWU has previously filed workers' compensation cases for families of riders killed at work, who were unable to access proper compensation under the current system, instead having to pursue lengthy test cases.
TWU National Secretary Michael Kaine said this tragic incident showed the need for safe and fair conditions for gig workers.
"Gig workers in Australia working in food delivery are some of the most vulnerable workers in this country. 18 food delivery riders have been killed on our roads since 2017. For a food delivery rider to not return home after a shift is a senseless tragedy that his family and the wider gig community will be now forced to grapple with.
"Food delivery riders currently have no rights like a safe and fair minimum wage, sick leave, protection against unfair contract terminations, and workers' compensation in the horrific event something goes wrong.
"Next week legislation will take effect which will allow us to start reforming this horrifically exploitative industry. We will work to ensure the deadly pressures on gig workers to work long hours, late nights and rush through deliveries is eased and that, where these tragedies occur, families can access appropriate compensation that any other worker would automatically receive."
