Along with its member party PS Belgium, the PES is deeply concerned at recent attempts by Deliveroo to force its Brussels staff to register as self-employed. This would deprive them of a reliable income, social security and a work contract, currently provided by collective membership of the ‘SMART’ cooperative in Brussels.

Pervenche Berès, chair of the Social Europe Network, said:

« We strongly believe that digital workers should benefit from the same rights and obligations as other workers. This move by Deliveroo seeks to force its workers into ‘bogus self-employed’ status, depriving them of their rights.

« As part of our PES European Social Action Plan, we want to strengthen our social model, reduce inequalities and poverty, guarantee high social standards and strong collective bargaining, in all areas of work — online or offline.

« As well as supporting Deliveroo workers struggling for their rights here in Belgium — threatened because of a recent law change which is strongly opposed by PS Belgium — we will also continue to push for a Europe-wide directive on predictable and transparent working conditions.

« And we want EU rules to define decent working conditions and health and safety in all forms of work, including platform work. The coming semester will be crucial to set clear and fair rules for all workers and employers, and the PES is mobilised to fight for this. »

The network’s meeting with Deliveroo staff is a direct follow-up to its in-depth study of workers’ rights and the digital economy.

In addition to platform work, the Social Europe network discussed other feature of the PES European Social Action plan: decent wages in Europe, Fair mobility, and measures to address rising inequalities in Europe.

In attendance were:

• Javi López, MEP, PSOE Spain (S&D)
• Serkan Köse, Member of Parliament SAP, Sweden
• Svein Roald Hansen, Member of Parliament, DNA, Norway
• Jos Bertrand, President, ESO
• Karolina Leakovic, Vice President PES Women, SDP Croatia
• Jovana Majstorovic, Vice President, YES
• Conny Reuter, Secretary General, Solidar
• Yonnec Polet, Deputy Secretary General, PES
• David Rinaldi, Senior Economic Policy Advisor, FEPS
• Liina Carr, Confederal Secretary, ETUC
• Stefan Gran, Head of DGB Brussels Liaison Office
• Livia Hentschel, Policy Officer, DGB
• Ariadne Mavronikola, Policy Officer ÖGB
• Christina Höferl, Policy Officer, ÖGB
• David Hafner, Policy Officer, ÖGB
• Maureen Hick, Policy Adviser UNI- Europa
• Aileen Koerfer, Policy Adviser UNI-Europa
• Gilberto Pelosi, Advocacy & Policy Officer Social Platform
• Flavia Colonnese, Policy Officer European Youth Forum
• Nikita Sanoullah, Policy Officer European Youth Forum
• Henri Kaselo, Assistant to MEP Ivari Padar SDE, Estonia (S&D)
• Susanna Salovaara, Assistant of MEP Kumpula-Natri SDP, Finland (S&D)
• Laura Caroli, Assistant to MEP Brando Benifei PD Italy (S&D)
• Rafaela Tschernitz, Assistant to MEP Evelyn Regner SPÖ, Austria (S&D)
• David Fuentes, Assistant to MEP Javi Lopez PSOE, Spain (S&D)
• Lara Wolters Assistant to MEP Agnes Jongerius PVDA, Netherlands (S&D)
• Jürgen Aschmutat, Cabinet Member, Political Adviser S&D Secretariat
• Livia Gregusova, Political Advisor S&D Secretariat
• Ioannis Dalmas, Political Advisor S&D Secretariat
• Jan Kunz, Political Advisor S&D Secretariat
• Olga Fotinou, Political Advisor PES Group in CoR
• Constantin Kourkoulas, Head of Policy Unit PES
• Antoine Mertzeisen, Policy Adviser PES
• Marie-Theres Findeisen, Policy Assistant PES