Food delivery drivers fired after ‘cut-price’ GPS app sent them on ‘impossible’ routes
Drivers who deliver food and drink for Just Eat have been fired after being misdirected by a cut-price GPS system, according to the union representing them.
The couriers, who work for Stuart, a company that supplies drivers to some of the biggest restaurant and retail names in Britain, told the Observer they were sacked by pro-forma email after being mislocated by the GPS system or deviating from impossible or dangerous routes.
When they tried to complain about their dismissal, they said they had to plead their case with an automated chatbot. They were asked to rate the conversation by clicking on an emoji.
The Independent Workers Union of Great Britain (IWGB) claims there are dozens of couriers for Stuart in cities across the country, from Exeter to Leeds, who have lost their jobs this way. Those who spoke to the Observer described their hurt at this treatment and anxiety about their ability to pay rent, bills and basic expenses as the cost of living continues to rise.
Alex Marshall, president of the IWGB, said the cases were “among the more egregious examples of a gig economy that is increasingly squeezing workers as much as possible and then just dropping them without any accountability.
“The decision to use this GPS system is about cutting costs for Stuart but the ramifications for couriers are huge,” he suggested.
“People are losing their livelihoods in an instant and those still working are putting their lives at risk.”
Evidence shared with the Observer suggests Stuart brought its GPS system in-house as a cost-cutting measure and that it is aware of problems.
In a direct-message conversation on Twitter, shared with the Observer, a Stuart senior manager can be seen telling a courier: “Stuart has an internally built
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