Deliveroo riders plan more strikes over work status

Deliveroo riders in Brussels are planning to strike every Saturday evening for the rest of January over changes to their work status.

A group of about 200 couriers, backed by Christian trade union CNE, are protesting that they must register as self-employed before the end of the month and can no longer use the umbrella company SMart to bill Deliveroo for their work.

The meal delivery firm's partnership with SMart came to an end last October and had entitled delivery drivers to the status of employee and a degree of social protection.

Deliveroo, which has about 2,000 couriers across Belgium, said the group behind the protest "does not represent the best interests of the majority of Deliveroo couriers".

The company added: "Deliveroo has sought to improve the safety of delivery workers by introducing accident and liability insurance. We want to combine flexibility and security."