[WATCH] Andy Ellul says no report to DIER has yet been filed over abusive employers in food courier sector

Parliamentary Secretary Ellul describes law as a 'success', inviting the public to report any employers’ wrongdoing anonymously

 

Food couriers (Photo: James Bianchi/mediatoday)
Food couriers (Photo: James Bianchi/mediatoday)

No complaint has yet been filed by food couriers and other platform workers to the Department of Industrial and Employment Relations, Parliamentary Secretary Andy Ellul claimed. 

Responding to journalists’ questions, Ellul said that DIER investigations are always ongoing, and that the recent set of laws regulating digital platform workers and their employers is a success. 

The set of laws were passed in order to address the legal grey area surrounding food couriers, a sector which was characterised by a lack of written contracts, unenforced contracts, payment rates below the minimum wage and other abuses.

Parliamentary Secretary Andy Ellul
Parliamentary Secretary Andy Ellul

MaltaToday had also exposed a practice where workers earn just 50% of the expected monthly salary, as the other half goes to their recruitment agency.

Despite this, a report by the Times of Malta in April revealed that food couriers are still underpaid and are lacking benefits.

Responding to this, Ellul stated that the government had contacted the journalist in question to inform him that DIER accepts anonymous complaints. He further stated that no action has been taken against abusive employers because no complaints had reached DIER.

Ellul highlighted how the new laws will not eradicate 100% of all abusive practises, and he invited the public to report any known wrongdoing to DIER anonymously so that it may investigate and act accordingly.