Food delivery companies and people providing delivery services through mobile apps have become the norm. Every day we pass riders with distinctive backpacks carrying hot food. Unfortunately, as many as 70% of them may soon quit their jobs. The reason is the likely decisions of the European Parliament.

Kamil Leszczynski, CEO of Eternis, a company that supplies e-platforms like Uber, Bolt, Glovo and Wolt with casual workers, spoke to Rzeczpospolita. He admitted that there is a real scenario that up to 70% of people providing services through mobile apps may quit their jobs due to the European Parliament working on regulating the status of gig-workers (people who do not have a full-time job, but perform various tasks through apps) and giving them more rights.

The European Parliament's plan assumes that employees working through applications should benefit from minimum wage guarantees, working time standards, as well as paid vacation and the so-called sick leave.

"The EP plan will result in an exodus of workers from the industry. There will also be an increase in costs for the platforms providing work for gig-workers. In order to keep business flowing, companies will have a choice: offer drivers and suppliers much lower rates than now, which will result in the migration of workers to other industries, or raise prices significantly", Kamil Leszczynski told Rzeczpospolita.

Kamil Leszczynski stresses that if the European Parliament introduces new regulations without consulting drivers, fleet partners, as well as e-platforms, the number of people willing to work will drop dramatically. Additionally, the prices of deliveries and freight services will increase significantly, even by as much as 50%.

As reported by Rzeczpospolita, Uber is already threatening to raise prices by 40%. The head of EMEA Mobility at Uber Anabel Díaz, in an interview with the Financial Times warned that the company could halt operations in hundreds of European cities.

Source: Rzeczpospolita