Wolt couriers are continuing their campaign against precarious working conditions, including alleged wage abuses and problems involving questionable subcontractors. However, trade unions described Wednesday's meeting with the delivery platform as tense, disappointing, and unproductive.
Representative David Angel of the Independent Luxembourg Trade Union Confederation (OGBL) described the sector as the "Wild West", accusing companies of profiting from some of the poorest and most vulnerable members of society.
Representative Pascal Glouchitski of the Luxembourg Confederation of Christian Trade Unions (LCGB) said the unions wanted to bring an end to practices he described as "modern slavery".
The meeting between Wolt representatives and members of the OGBL and LCGB unions ultimately failed to produce any concrete results.
Angel said tensions emerged from the outset when Wolt asked for only union representatives to attend, without any couriers present. The unions refused, insisting that they would decide which people should accompany them to the meeting, he said.
The union representatives had brought an extensive list of questions, but said they received no answers.
According to Angel, the meeting left the unions with the impression that the company representatives either did not fully understand Wolt's own business model or were not the appropriate people to answer the questions raised.
"We came away with absolutely nothing", he said.
According to Angel, Wolt representatives reportedly condemned illegal and potentially criminal practices by subcontractors, but said they were unaware that such practices were taking place. He noted that the company had therefore taken no action so far and claimed that Wolt representatives said it was the first time they had heard of such allegations.
For the unions, Wolt's response was insufficient, and Angel said they did not intend to let the matter rest. The OGBL and LCGB also argued that the EU Platform Work Directive should be implemented in a way that gives couriers employee status.
Angel said: "These workers clearly have no control whatsoever over their own work. They cannot set their pay, choose their routes, or organise their working hours. They have no real autonomy at all."
He added that the unions regard them as employees and demand that they be treated as such.
The unions also called for an immediate end to the use of illegal subcontractors, but said Wolt had given no commitment on the issue.
In a written statement issued after the meeting, Wolt said it welcomed the discussion, during which a range of topics had been raised. The company added that it wanted to continue holding constructive exchanges with the unions.
