The Finnish company Wolt recently changed the way it calculates the wages of its couriers, reducing their income. In addition to the pay cut, the couriers are unhappy with the company’s deteriorating working conditions. The couriers have been organising protests in recent weeks to demand higher wages and better safety at work.
The couriers working through Wolt’s platform have held three protests so far and have no intention of stopping until the company’s management responds to their demands. Both motorists and cyclists have responded to the call to protest, a unity that has often been lacking in previous attempts to organise.
“We demand that our work, which is carried out in extremely difficult conditions and with traffic that is far from good, be more appreciated and valued,” said one of the couriers, according to Mašina.
Wolt does not employ couriers. Instead, it recruits through agents who take a percentage from each worker. Without standard contracts, workers are denied their rights to social and health insurance.
Being a Wolt courier is portrayed in the media as a well-paid and flexible job. However, this image is far from reality. Working full-time, couriers are left with an income that covers the subsistence minimum.
