Open letter following deadly accident in Hong Kong

Ein Foodpanda-Fahrer starb bei einem Unfall am 26. Juli in den Straßen Hong Kongs. Einige Kolleg*innen und Angehörige haben einen gemeinsamen Offenen Brief geschrieben, in dem sie die Verbesserung des Arbeitsschutzes fordern.

Viele Gewerkschaften des Netzwerks #DeliveryHeroRidersUnited haben bereits ihre Unterstützung für diese Initiative erklärt. Auch das Internationale Komitee der FAU hat den Offenen Brief unterzeichnet. Die Riders’ Rights Concern Group (Hong Kong) ruft  Gewerkschaften weltweit dazu auf, bis zum 16. August diesen ebenfalls zu unterzeichnen. 

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A foodpanda rider died in an accident on July 26th in the streets of Hong Kong. Some colleagues and family members wrote a joint letter demanding from foodpanda to enhance work injury protection and review work safety risks.

Many unions of the #DeliveryHeroRidersUnited network already expressed their support for this initiative. The Riders’ Rights Concern Group (Hong Kong) calls on labour groups and rider unions worldwide to join this effort and sign the open letter by August 16th! The letter will be submitted to foodpanda Hong Kong.

To: foodpanda Hong Kong (Delivery Hero Hong Kong Limited)

We are heartbroken to see our colleague passed away in the accident on 26 July. As some of us work in the same zone, we know the brother was very nice and hardworking. Every day he rushed to work earlier due to recent pay cut by foodpanda, as well as a growing number of parking penalty tickets issued to him during the deliveries.

So, we share the sorrow with his family, and we hope his family can go through the difficult time. What makes us more painful is we know clearly that the same can happen to any of us.

We strive to run under the sun and in the rain just to make our ends meet. But if anything happens, the insurance, with such a low benefit level, won’t be able to support us and our family. Or maybe we won’t even be covered if it’s not during a delivery. Or foodpanda might not tell our families what happens until half a day later.

So what has foodpanda done to protect us in our work? What do we get as we risk our lives every day?

And it’s not only about insurance. We are rushing on the road faster because foodpanda cuts our wage and pushes us to complete more orders. We are working longer hours because foodpanda keeps recruiting more riders, making each of us get fewer orders. Also, foodpanda doesn’t help us with parking places and expenses. These all contribute to the risks in work safety. It’s all related.

Thus, we demand that foodpanda should:

1. account for the accident to the victim’s family, all foodpanda couriers, and the public,

2. raise the benefit level and broaden the coverage of the insurance

3. review all the factors that might lead to risks in work safety, including payment, control, app, etc.,

4. have a meeting with couriers on safety, injury, and insurance issues,

5. communicate with government departments about parking spaces, and cover some parking expenses.

A group of Hong Kong foodpanda riders (July 28th, 2022)

Unterstützer*innenliste & Quelle: https://globalmayday.net/deliveryheroridersunited/