Berlin bike couriers had 600 work accidents last year, report reveals

According to a report by Tagesspiegel, bike delivery riders in Berlin have had almost 600 work-related accidents in the past year.

Increasing number of accidents among delivery cyclists

A report by the German newspaper Tagesspiegel has revealed that grocery and takeaway food delivery cyclists are having an increasing number of accidents on the streets of Berlin.

In 2022, riders has 596 work-related bike accidents, compared to just 71 in 2021. These figures include collisions with public transport, independent accidents and accidents on the way to and from work.

The figures were revealed after Green Party politician Christoph Wapler demanded they be published by social security services. In its defence, Gorillas argued that the number of riders it employs has significantly increased since the coronavirus pandemic.

Gorillas working conditions long criticised

Gorillas, a Berlin start-up which was founded during the pandemic, sells its services with the guarantee that food orders will be delivered to the customer in 10 minutes or less.

Since its inception, the international company, now worth 1 billion US dollars, has often been at the centre of workplace disputes with its riders. A wildcat strike organised in 2021 saw workers walk out over insecure, temporary work contracts, low pay, receiving payslips for less money than the hours that they had worked, and in support of a colleague who had been fired.

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