Dozens of delivery workers contracted by Dragonfly in Saskatoon are continuing to push back against their employer through a strike, saying they face unsafe and unfair working conditions.
Last Friday, drivers contracted to deliver packages for companies such as Amazon walked off the job to demand safer working conditions, better pay and more consistent scheduling.
“We have to wake up early in the morning at 5 a.m., so we will know if we have a route or not, if you are doing the job today or not,” said Guriqbal Singh, a driver contracted by the company.
Singh says drivers are often on the hook for costs associated with deliveries, such as gas for their vehicles, insurance and covering stolen delivery packages.
“They just want to do all the packages to be delivered, that’s what they are doing,” said Singh, adding that many workers who drive for the company also rely on other gig economy jobs, such as food delivery and rideshare services, to make ends meet.
“So many [people] here, they have their own families, they are the only bread earners here, so they don’t have anything at all. So they have to do something just to survive for the month.”
Dragonfly operates by letting individuals sign up to become “independent delivery contractors,” which, according to its website, involves hiring and managing a team of drivers. Singh said these individuals are their primary point of contact for receiving work and what they are paid for it.
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Since around 120 delivery drivers walked off the job last week, Singh said as many as 50 people were let go with no advance notice.
“They sent us an email saying we are no longer working as a delivery driver with Dragonfly,” he said, adding that some, including himself, were only removed from WhatsApp group chats where drivers communicate with their independent delivery contractors.
Singh says he believes operations in Saskatoon are continuing with other drivers who were not previously contracted to work in the province.
In a statement to Global News, Dragonfly says it is aware of the protest underway in Saskatoon but that it does not employ delivery drivers.
“We work alongside independent delivery companies and rely on these partners to provide drivers for the delivery routes available to their respective businesses,” the statement read, adding that the independent delivery companies are responsible for the hiring, scheduling and compensation of drivers, “in accordance with applicable laws and regulations.”
“Our priority remains ensuring continuity of service for consumers, and our vast network of delivery partners has allowed us to maintain delivery operations since Friday.”
The president of the Saskatchewan Federation of Labour (SFL) says the organization has reached out to the drivers to offer assistance and commends them for standing up to their employer.
“To put your tools down and walk off the job is an incredibly terrifying thing to do. But good on them for taking a stand because they were faced with some really horrible things, and they stood together, and that was pretty remarkable in my eyes,” said Lori Johb in an interview with Global News.
“All workers should be able to have some dignity and respect in the workplace,” said Johb, adding that the workers face a more difficult bargaining situation given that they are not unionized.
Saskatchewan’s labour minister says he is willing to meet with the workers to help them solve the situation.
“It really doesn’t affect the government individually, but as the regulator and the overseer and the minister of labour, I’m personally very concerned,” Ken Cheveldayoff told Global News in an interview Tuesday.
Cheveldayoff added that the government is looking for ways to strengthen its Employment Act and is opening it up to feedback.
“As gig workers expand and it’s a larger part of our economy, we have to look at it specifically and see if there are ways that we can improve their working situation,” he said.
Singh says workers are looking to unionize and have been trying to since walking off the job. He also adds that he has not been in touch with the labour minister, but he looks forward to a conversation with him.
“We hope through them the company will hear us, that’s what we really want,” Singh said.
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