Lieferando cuts 40 jobs in Potsdam: Union warns of scandal!

Lieferando cuts 40 jobs in Potsdam: Union warns of scandal!

What is happening at Lieferando in Brandenburg? There is currently worrying news for the workers there. How rbb24 reports, the food delivery platform plans to lay off around 2,000 drivers across Germany, which corresponds to a massive decline of around 20 percent of the entire driver fleet. The Potsdam location is not spared; Around 40 jobs will be lost here.

The affected courier drivers received notification of the impending job cuts on Thursday. Lieferando plans to increasingly outsource food delivery to subcontractors. The company would like to respond more flexibly to the requirements of its customers. However, these drastic changes have already sparked a storm of outrage. The Food, Pleasure and Restaurants union (NGG) criticizes the decision as “bad developments” and sees the strategy as signs of long-term negative planning.

Unions and politicians react

The topic is so explosive that Anja Piel, board member of the German Trade Union Confederation (DGB), describes the announcement as an absolute scandal. According to Piel, employees at locations with works councils are particularly affected, as these measures significantly restrict their opportunities for co-determination. The company's anti-union stance is causing further resentment among employees.

But that's not all: the union warns against "shadow fleets", i.e. massive outsourcing of labor to subcontractors. This practice could significantly jeopardize fair working conditions. The employees at Lieferando generally only earn the statutory minimum wage, and there is a risk that the outsourcing will no longer ensure that the working standards are no longer met.

demands on the federal government

Anja Piel is calling on the federal government to take urgent measures to directly employ employees in delivery services. The situation should follow the example of the meat industry, where similar problems have already arisen. In addition, a rapid and effective implementation of the European Platform Directive into national law is required in order to put a stop to the erosion of labor rights in the platform economy.

While the unions support the fight for fair working conditions and the strengthening of works councils, the future of the drivers at Lieferando is uncertain. It remains to be seen how the situation will develop in the next few weeks and whether the unions' demands will be heard.