DoorDash launched in Australia in 2019, just a matter of months before COVID-19 completely transformed our way of life. Communities have increasingly relied on platforms like DoorDash to safely and reliably access everything from a warm meal to grocery items and essential goods.
We also saw how important it was for people to be able to access flexible work opportunities to earn an income quickly and how they choose. We’re proud that over 40,000 delivery people – from students to retirees to everyone in between – have chosen DoorDash.
We know that earning through apps like DoorDash appeals to many people because it can fit around their lives and other commitments, but the frameworks to support them need to evolve. That’s why we’re proud to have worked constructively with the Transport Workers Union (TWU), in developing a set of key principles to ensure safety and fairness for workers in the on-demand economy.
We have agreed that not only is it important to recognise the value that workers derive from this new, unique form of work, but that we should create a portable, proportional, and flexible framework that allows app-based workers to maintain their independence while accessing new protections and benefits.
We also agree to the need for industry-wide standards set by an independent body, and starting with the following six core principles:
- Workers should not be prohibited from accessing appropriate work rights and entitlements;
- Workers must have transparency;
- Workers must have the opportunity to contribute to a collective voice;
- Workers must have access to dispute resolution processes;
- Appropriate resources should be allocated to ensuring industry standards are established and maintained, and to driver education and training;
- Three stage approach towards achieving regulation of the on-demand transport industry.
This is the first step in a three stage process, with the formalisation of a more detailed Memorandum of Understanding next, followed by joint advocacy to policymakers. These principles demonstrate that with the right commitment to collaboration, we can move beyond a focus on work classification and find ways to strengthen and improve independent platform work, while preserving the value it offers people today.
We look forward to working with others who share our goals to ensure all platform workers in this country have the choice to work as they want, access to income when they need it, and the security that new benefits and protections can provide.
The post DoorDash and Transport Workers Union sign charter of principles to ensure safety and fairness for gig workers in Australia appeared first on DoorDash Newsroom.