Germany’s Lieferando drivers receive winter bonus - of 50 cents per hour

Riders in Germany who work for the takeaway delivery company Lieferando will receive more pay in the winter months, the company has announced.

Lieferando drivers receive 50 cents winter pay rise

Lieferando, the German branch of the international company Just Eat Takeaway, based in the Netherlands, has announced that it will pay employees who work as delivery riders a 50-cent hourly bonus during the winter. 

With their November payslip, delivery drivers received an extra 50 cents per hour from their employer, a policy which is set to continue until March next year. The recognisable orange-clad riders will receive another 50 cents on top when they are working hours during busy periods at evenings and weekends.

Riders also received a bonus of up to 300 euros, depending on the agreed hours in their work contract, to soften the blow of inflation in Germany, which recently rose to historic heights. According to Lieferando, its drivers receive a guaranteed an hourly wage of 12 euros. The legal minimum wage in Germany rose to 12 euros back in October.

Berlin Lieferando workers froze in winter 2021

Lieferando’s move to add 50 cents per hour to their employees pay package is likely a further consequence of disputes between the company and many of its employees in Berlin during the winter of 2021.

When heavy snow hit the Germany city in February 2021 Lieferando employees were encouraged by their Betriebsrat (works council) to officially report that they believed they were working in unsafe conditions. The report brought bikes to a screeching halt in Berlin, with operations being paused for three days.

In the recent press announcement about the 50 cent pay rise, Lieferando claims to use an employment model which is exceedingly fair and emphasises that employees are granted work contracts on a “regular and permanent basis” with sickness benefit and holiday pay included.