A 22-year-old motorcyclist has died in a collision with an SUV in New South Wales, renewing demands for better protections for food delivery riders.
There have been 12 confirmed deaths of food delivery riders in Australia since 2017, prompting the ACTU to call for urgent reforms.
Australian unions are critical of the lack of basic rights, such as minimum wage and sick leave, for gig workers in this country, prompting the federal government to propose the setting of minimum pay and conditions, through the Fair Work Commission.
Inevitably, gig economy companies and business lobby groups are opposing the changes, on the basis of increased costs.
Meanwhile, families of deceased riders have had to rely on compensation from state-based schemes, with the TWU initiating legal action to secure compensation for families of UberEats riders killed in accidents.
The family of a Hungry Panda delivery rider received compensation under the NSW workers' compensation scheme after a fatal accident in 2020, potentially setting a precedent for gig economy workers to be designated employees.
Sources: ACTU news release, The Guardian
