Germany: Gorillas workers meet with Labour and Social Affairs minister in Berlin

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Labour and Social Affairs’ Minister Hubertus Heil met with Gorillas workers in Berlin, on Tuesday, to hear their side of the work conflict between them and the platform company, which has also seat in other countries.

Heil stressed he wanted to hear both sides of the conflict, not to be a judge but to see what he, as labour ministry can do or what can be improved within labour law.

The minister also added that this is an international issue, saying he is contact with labour ministers in other countries regarding the problem.

“Platform economy offers opportunities for new business models and also the opportunities for new forms of employment, platform economy is very comfortable for many consumers, but one thing is very clear, one cannot mistake platform economy with exploitation. And those who try to bypass rights and laws or try to suppress workers’ rights in this digital development, they have myself as a political opposition,” he declared.

One of the company’s riders, Jakob Pomeranzev,​ said that many workers’ rights have not been respected, working conditions are bad and that the company exploits immigrant workers.

The conflict started after a worker named ‘Santiago’ was fired and led to strikes and a list with 19 demands. There have been strikes and actions on the ware houses since them, with workers saying their demands have not been heard and that the management have been hindering the creation of a workers committee, which is a right under German law.

SOT, Jakob Pomeranzev, Rider: “The reason we went to Heil was that, the pay as usual, every single month, the pay is not paid out on time. There are always issues with, there not being actually the right amount of money being paid out to us. There are issues with the ‘Lohnvorzahlung’ (advanced payment of wages), it is miscalculated. Vacation days are miscalculated. There are issues with sexual harassment, racial discrimination in the warehouses. Equipment is not provided as supposed to be. I mean, we are all employees, the employer is supposed to provide us with all necessary work equipment”

SOT, Hubertus Heil, German Labour and Social Affairs Minister (German): “I am here in Berlin Kreuzberg. The topic that brings me in today, not only today, is the situation of persons that increasingly are working on digital platforms. Today I spoke with the management of a major start up, one could say by now, called Gorillas, which delivers online shopping products in Germany and other countries. And I also spoke to those who deliver those products.”

SOT, Hubertus Heil, German Labour and Social Affairs Minister (German): “I find it very important, not that we would want to stop the digitalisation, the opposite, as the platform economies offer the chance for new business models, and also the chance for a new way of employment. The platform economy is very comfortable for many customers. But one thing is for sure, one may not confuse platform economy and digitalisation with exploitation. And those who try to circumvent the law and justice, or to suppress rights of workers’ in this digital development, they will have me as their political opponent.”

SOT, Hubertus Heil, German Labour and Social Affairs Minister (German): “I have had this afternoon a video conference the labour ministers of the United States, of Portugal, of Spain, of Italy and of France, because this not a German phenomenon, but we have everywhere, also this company, present in many countries.”

SOT, Jakob Pomarenzev, Rider: “It’s a general problem with the platform economy in Germany at least, I don’t know about the platform economy elsewhere, but I am pretty sure it is the same thing. Because here they are exploiting primarily immigrants to are here for now, who don’t consider this job something permanent. Who are just working here to get by for the time being, and looking for something else in the meantime. These people do not see the need, or do not even know about the rights in Germany, they do not know a lot about joining unions.”

#Berlin #Gorillas #Germany #LabourRights #WorkersRights #Unions

Video ID: 20210720-057

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