Food delivery platforms Deliveroo, Just Eat Takeaway and Uber Eats are facing calls for greater transparency around the apps they use to manage couriers’ work processes and pay.
Twelve organisations from across the EU and UK, including the TUC and Amnesty International, have written an open letter to the takeaway giants urging them to come clean on decisions made through their “black-box” algorithms which the signatories say are “seemingly impossible to challenge”.
One of the organisations, Privacy International, said that algorithmic management of workers has become the norm for gig economy platforms, with individuals obligated to give up an immense amount of personal data just to go to work.
It says decisions made by the algorithms can determine how much gig workers are paid and even whether their employment or accounts are suspended or terminated, adding that workers are often not provided with satisfactory explanations as to how these decisions are made.
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The letter to the three companies states: “Each one of you are a market leader. And each of you claim to care, variously promising you ‘believe in doing business responsibly and having a positive impact’, that you will ‘put the voice of the rider at the heart of everything’ or ‘will ensure that we treat our customers, our colleagues, and our cities with respect; and […] will run our business with passion, humility, and integrity’.
“But this has yet to be borne out in your business practices, which have led to millions of euros in fines for obstructing drivers’ attempts to enforce their rights, and for systemically inappropriate data processing, along with de-activating accounts by automated systems for minor overpayments.
“Instead, you are automating exploitation – leveraging black-box algorithms to make decisions about de-activation, work allocation and pay without sufficient explanation, stripping workers of the ability to understand and challenge those decisions.”
The 12 organisations have suggested a three-point plan for Deliveroo, Just Eat Takeaway and Uber Eats to:
- Maintain a public register of the algorithms used to manage workers.
- Accompany all algorithmic decisions with an explanation of the most important reasons behind the decision and how they can be challenged.
- Allow workers, their representatives and public interest groups to test how the algorithms work.
The three food delivery platforms are being urged to act now before legislation forces their hand. The EU’s Platform Workers’ directive and AI Act, and Spain’s Rider law are all taking steps to better safeguard workers’ rights. “Why wait to be pushed, when you could start treating your workers right, right now? Why wait for the fines and the enforcement – that are coming – when you could take positive steps right now?” asks the open letter.
The letter is also signed by the Independent Workers’ Union of Great Britain (IWGB) and the App Drivers and Couriers Union (ADCU).
A spokesperson for Deliveroo said: “All riders have access to information on how our algorithms work, how orders are offered and how fees are calculated on our website, and are provided with an information pack during the onboarding process. Additionally, all riders have access to a dedicated Rider Support team for any questions on these matters, which are escalated to our data protection officer where relevant. The termination of a rider’s account due to suspicious activity is always reviewed by our team to ensure appropriate human oversight, and is not automatic.
“We take our legal obligations regarding transparency and data protection very seriously, and see this as a core part of treating riders with dignity and respect. We understand that effective communication about this, and the systems that support Deliveroo’s business operations, are an important element of our relationship with riders.”
A Just Eat spokesperson said its data shows that couriers delivering for Just Eat earn, on average, significantly over the London and national living wage for the time they are on an order. They said: “We provide a highly competitive base rate to self-employed couriers and continue to review our pay structure regularly. We maintain an open dialogue with our courier partners through regular communications, including face-to-face events across the country called StreetMeets, where we invite and share feedback on issues that are important to them.”
An Uber spokesperson said: “Uber believes in providing meaningful transparency to all our users. For us, that means sharing information about how our platform works, including how drivers, couriers and customers are matched, how prices are set and how to ensure users maintain access to the platform. That includes our use of algorithms, AI and data for the benefit of all users. We will continue to actively engage with couriers to better understand how we can improve their experience while maintaining clear and effective communication about our operations.”
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