In an unprecedented move for the food delivery sector, DoorDash and Uber Eats have partnered with Australia’s Transport Workers’ Union to establish minimum standards for gig economy workers, marking what advocates say could be the first agreement of its kind globally.
The two delivery platforms submitted a joint proposal to Australia’s Fair Work Commission alongside the TWU, calling for legally enforceable protections that would fundamentally reshape how on-demand delivery workers are compensated and protected.
The proposed Minimum Standards Order would introduce several key protections for delivery workers, including minimum safety net pay rates across all transport types, formal dispute resolution processes, accident insurance coverage for injured workers, and representation rights that give platform workers a voice through engagement and feedback mechanisms.
A long campaign for gig workers
“Gig workers have campaigned for years for a better industry and for the first time in the world, there could soon be a minimum floor that represents a life-changing increase to their pay,” said Michael Kaine, National Secretary of the TWU.
The agreement represents a significant shift in the often-contentious relationship between gig platforms and labour advocates. Rather than fighting regulatory efforts, the platforms have worked collaboratively with the union to develop standards they say preserve the flexibility that attracts workers to platform jobs while establishing baseline protections.
“Delivery workers keep Australia moving, helping busy households and supporting small businesses,” said Simon Rossi, VP of DoorDash APAC. “This proposal shows we can work together to lift standards and still enable the flexibility people rely on, under the Government’s new laws.”
Ed Kitchen, Managing Director for Uber Eats Australia and New Zealand, emphasised that the proposal builds on years of collaboration, including a 2022 Statement of Principles signed with the TWU. He noted that flexibility remains a primary reason workers choose gig platforms, and the new standards aim to provide both protection and autonomy.
The proposal now awaits consideration by the Fair Work Commission as part of the regulatory process to establish minimum standards for platform workers.
If approved, the standards could serve as a model for other markets grappling with similar questions about how to regulate the gig economy while maintaining the operational models that have made food delivery ubiquitous.
