Couriers to strike from 6 December

Submitted by martin on 23 November, 2021 - 8:25 Author: Michael Elms
Sheffield couriers

Sheffield’s JustEat food courier workforce – employed by gig-economy firm Stuart – is set to demonstrate on Sunday 28 November and strike from 6 December, against a 24% pay cut.

JustEat couriers, organised in IWGB, were previously able to win a postponement of this pay cut, in Sheffield only, following a militant response. As gig-economy firm Stuart is clearly in turmoil, having lost a big chunk of their JustEat contract to competitor Scoober, drivers now hope to be able to defeat the pay cut once and for all.

Sheffield Labour MPs have spoken out in support of the IWGB couriers, including Olivia Blake, Louise Haigh, Paul Blomfield and Gill Furniss. While their words are welcome, more support is needed from the Labour Party and the socialist and trade union movement. Workers’ Liberty members and friends in Sheffield have been central to this organising effort from the start and are now appealing for help from across the whole movement.

From 6 December, low-paid couriers will maintain picket lines outside all Sheffield McDonalds stores from 5-10pm to shut down delivery business at peak times. Weekly meetings of couriers will decide on expanding and extending the action to cover more clients of JustEat and Stuart.

• The IWGB needs broad support in building up a large strike fund. Please pass the model motion below or make donations here.


This branch notes: 1) The JustEat couriers in Sheffield, who are organised in the IWGB, have been threatened with a 24% pay cut on most of the deliveries they do, due to come in on 6 December.

2) The IWGB couriers in Sheffield have called a demonstration on 28 November at 12 noon at Sheffield Town Hall

3) The couriers will be striking from 6 December

Resolves: 1 To advertise our support for this strike

2) To attend the couriers’ demonstration and bring the branch banner on 28 November

3) To make a donation of £1,000 to the IWGB Couriers and Logistics Branch strike fund


• Sheffield bin workers have voted to accept a pay deal. Solidarity understands that they have accepted a 3% pay award in 2021, plus a £250 one-off bonus payment; followed by a 3.5% pay award in 2022. This falls far short of the 6% they had voted to demand.

Sheffield’s Labour-Green coalition Council should be held to account for their failure to prevent the employer, Veolia, from hiring agency labour to serve as scabs. A Labour-led Council should have worked to secure a better outcome for refuse workers.

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