Platform workers such as food and delivery couriers will receive the minimum wage, overtime, and sick pay, according to Maltese Prime Minister Robert Abela, with more details to be announced in the coming days.
Despite its small size, Malta is home to several different kinds of platforms such as Wolt, Bolt, and Uber, amongst others. In July, hundreds of platform workers went on strike, comparing their working conditions to slavery with some saying they worked 80-hour weeks but still failed to earn the minimum wage.
In addition, several reports in the media exposed poor working environments and the country was asked to adopt an EU law on working conditions.
But following the announcement, Josef Bugeja, the general secretary of the General Workers Union, was optimistic, saying new rules could give workers “the dignity of having a place of work and the legal rights that come with it”, according to the Times of Malta.
Platform operators do not currently employ drivers and instead treat them as subcontractors and pay them for each delivery. This includes EU nationals who are subcontracted directly and non-EU nationals through agencies. Couriers claim that in both cases, they are exposed to abusive working practices and poor conditions.
Abela said the new rules will ensure workers cannot earn less than the minimum wage and that they will be entitled to other benefits that employees enjoy including leave and overtime pay.
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