Criticism by Lower Saxony's Labor Minister on Lieferando's terminations
In a meeting with the works council of Lieferando in Hanover on Wednesday, Lower Saxony's Minister of Labour, Andreas Philippi, voiced his concern about wage dumping by subcontractors at the delivery platform. During the meeting, Philippi criticized the systematic use of atypical and precarious employment forms by platform companies, including Lieferando. He warned of the potential negative impact on workers' wages and conditions. However, no specific subcontractors using precarious employment forms at Lieferando were explicitly named in the current public information. The process of outsourcing to subsidiaries like Fleetlery GmbH is mentioned, which may involve similar practices. It is unclear what actions, if any, have been taken by Lieferando in response to the minister's criticisms. No new information regarding the number of planned layoffs at Lieferando was disclosed during the meeting. Interestingly, the meeting between Minister Philippi and the works council of Lieferando was the first public acknowledgement of the minister's involvement in the matter. Despite not providing a timeline for the implementation of any countermeasures, Philippi announced that he would be taking action to address the issue at Lieferando. However, no specific countermeasures regarding the issue were detailed by the minister during the meeting. The minister's announcement of countermeasures regarding the issue at Lieferando was made prior to the meeting with the works council. It remains to be seen what these measures will entail and how they will impact the delivery platform and its workers. This development comes as concerns about the use of precarious employment forms in the gig economy continue to grow. It is hoped that Minister Philippi's actions will lead to improvements in the working conditions for delivery workers at Lieferando and beyond.
