Saskatoon Dragonfly delivery drivers continue strike, citing unfair work conditions - BERITAJA

Dozens of transportation workers contracted by Dragonfly successful Saskatoon are continuing to push backmost against their employer done a strike, saying they look unsafe and unfair moving conditions.

Last Friday, drivers contracted to present packages for companies specified arsenic Amazon walked disconnected the occupation to request safer moving conditions, amended salary and much accordant scheduling.

“We person to aftermath up early successful the greeting astatine 5 a.m., truthful we will cognize if we person a way aliases not, if you are doing the occupation coming aliases not,” said Guriqbal Singh, a driver contracted by the company.

Singh says drivers are often connected the hook for costs associated pinch deliveries, specified arsenic state for their vehicles, security and covering stolen transportation packages.

“They conscionable want to do each the packages to beryllium delivered, that’s what they are doing,” said Singh, adding that galore workers who thrust for the institution besides trust connected different gig system jobs, specified arsenic nutrient transportation and rideshare services, to make ends meet.

“So galore [people] here, they person their ain families, they are the only breadstuff earners here, truthful they don’t person thing astatine all. So they person to do thing conscionable to past for the month.”

Dragonfly operates by letting individuals motion up to go “independent transportation contractors,” which, according to its website, involves hiring and managing a squad of drivers. Singh said these individuals are their superior constituent of interaction for receiving activity and what they are paid for it.

Since about 120 transportation drivers walked disconnected the occupation past week, Singh said arsenic galore arsenic 50 group were fto spell pinch nary beforehand notice.

“They sent america an email saying we are nary longer moving arsenic a transportation driver pinch Dragonfly,” he said, adding that some, including himself, were only removed from WhatsApp group chats wherever drivers pass pinch their independent transportation contractors.

Singh says he believes operations successful Saskatoon are continuing pinch different drivers who were not antecedently contracted to activity successful the province.

In a connection to BERITAJA, Dragonfly says it is alert of the protestation underway successful Saskatoon but that it does not employment transportation drivers.

“We activity alongside independent transportation companies and trust connected these partners to supply drivers for the transportation routes disposable to their respective businesses,” the connection read, adding that the independent transportation companies are responsible for the hiring, scheduling and compensation of drivers, “in accordance pinch applicable laws and regulations.”

“Our privilege remains ensuring continuity of work for consumers, and our immense web of transportation partners has allowed america to support transportation operations since Friday.”

The president of the Saskatchewan Federation of Labour (SFL) says it has reached retired to the drivers to connection assistance and commends the drivers for opinionated up to their employer.

“To put your devices down and locomotion disconnected the occupation is an incredibly terrifying point to do. But bully connected them for taking a guidelines because they were faced pinch immoderate really horrible things, and they stood together, and that was beautiful singular successful my eyes,” said Lori Johb successful an question and reply pinch BERITAJA.

“All workers should beryllium capable to person immoderate dignity and respect successful the workplace,” said Johb, adding that the workers look a much difficult bargaining business fixed that they are not unionized.

Saskatchewan’s labour curate says he is consenting to meet pinch the workers to thief them lick the situation.

“It really doesn’t impact the authorities individually, but arsenic the regulator and the overseer and the curate of labour, I’m personally very concerned,” Ken Cheveldayoff told BERITAJA successful an question and reply Tuesday.

Cheveldayoff added that the authorities is looking for ways to fortify its Employment Act and is opening it up to feedback.

“As gig workers grow and it’s a larger portion of our economy, we person to look astatine it specifically and spot if location are ways that we could amended their moving situation,” he said.

Singh says workers are looking to unionize and person been trying to since stepping disconnected the job. He besides adds that he has not been successful touch pinch the labour minister, but he looks guardant to a speech pinch him.

“We dream done them the institution will perceive us, that’s what we really want,” Singh said.