The Workers Union is backing a better deal for delivery drivers.
In a statement released this morning, a spokesperson for the organisation said: ‘Delivery drivers are the engine of the modern world. They get our packages to us in a way that was impossible to imagine at the turn of the century. Now anyone can order from the comfort of their kitchen table and expect a fully-tracked parcel to appear – sometimes within 24 hours. But this convenience comes at a cost. Many delivery drivers are the victims of road traffic accidents, theft and violence. This has to stop.’
The Workers Union’s announcement comes after news of a recent spate of incidents involving delivery drivers.
A driver working in the Sudbury area was pushed against a garage and held at knifepoint while four men demanded he hand over his phone and the keys to his Ford Transit van. They ran off after being disturbed by a woman who was walking her dog.
Meanwhile in the West Midlands, an Amazon delivery driver’s van was stolen in Stourbridge. Two men wearing balaclavas pulled the Amazon driver from the van, then one drove off with it while the other used a VW Golf to get away.
After the shaken Amazon driver alerted police to the theft, officers pursued the suspects through the local area. One was eventually located by the police helicopter, arrested and bailed pending further investigations.
A spokesperson for West Midlands Police said that the suspect was: ‘…interviewed and released on bail while investigations continue to locate the remaining suspect and get the stolen Amazon parcels back to their intended destinations.’
The Workers Union Says…
Most of us are lucky. We will not see or run the risk of physical harm in the course of our jobs. But people such as ambulance drivers, healthcare workers and delivery drivers see the worst of humanity all too often.
While they may not be able to change the world, company chiefs can and must do more to protect their staff. As we have long argued, better wages, better conditions and more secure vehicles are the minimum requirements.
Anything else shows scant regard for the mental and physical health of these hard working people.
