Unions vs Deliveroo: formal notice filed for abuse of Belgian labour laws

Socialist trade union BTB-ABVV has sent a registered letter of formal notice to Deliveroo Belgium for what it describes as its continued disregard of Belgian labour laws.

Labour minister Pierre-Yves Dermagne (PS) and finance minister Vincent Van Peteghem (CD&V) are also criticised for not taking the necessary measures within their powers, according to the letter.

The union refers to the Brussels labour court ruling of 21 December last year, which declared that Deliveroo couriers should be considered employees.

“But nothing has changed since that ruling – most Deliveroo couriers work under the peer-to-peer (P2P) statute and a minority as self-employed, which we know is often used by undocumented workers,” said union secretary Tom Peeters.

With the formal notice, the union wants to force the company to apply the court ruling. “The workers' statute must be applied to all Deliveroo couriers, including retroactive corrections based on sectoral minimum wages and allowances,” the formal notice said.

The government is also failing in its responsibility by neither inspecting nor sanctioning the company, according to the union.

“Minister Van Peteghem refuses to abolish the tax-favourable P2P status, which still allows Deliveroo to operate in an uneven playing field against bicycle courier companies that do employ workers,” the letter reads.

“The inspectorates under Dermagne's jurisdiction are also failing to act.”

Deliveroo filed an appeal against last December's ruling, but the union said that does not have a suspensive effect.