The post was made in the wake of an attack on delivery drivers in the Connswater Retail Park in East Belfast on Monday
Online food delivery services Deliveroo and Just Eat have outlined their protocols and background checks in place for staff after a Belfast chef’s comment on “undocumented drivers.”
On Thursday, September 11, Belfast restaurateur Michael Deane took to social media to complain about Deliveroo and JustEat delivery drivers, claiming that using the services could lead to “undocumented strangers” arriving at your house. He has since deleted the post and “apologised unreservedly” for the comments made.
The post was made in the wake of an attack on delivery drivers in the Connswater Retail Park in East Belfast on Monday, September 8. Deliveroo and Just Eat require drivers to have documentation showing their right to work in the UK.
READ MORE: Top Belfast restaurant owner condemned over comments about ‘undocumented’ delivery driversREAD MORE: Police issue statement after ‘violent mob attacks migrant’s car’ in East Belfast
In his initial social media post, Michael Deane said: “Dine out tonight support your local restaurant who stay loyal to its people and its produce Hospitality Ulster. Britain has become addicted to the app economy.
“Tap a button and dinner, groceries, or a ride home magically appear. But here’s the uncomfortable truth nobody wants to say out loud: when you order Deliveroo, Just Eat or Uber, you’re not just ordering food or transport you’re effectively inviting a stranger, often an undocumented one right to your front door.
“Think about it. Once upon a time, the milkman left a couple of bottles on your doorstep. You knew his name, his family, his round. Now, an anonymous Deliveroo rider pulls up outside your house, logs your exact location and disappears into the night with your data. Who are they? Where did they come from? What checks were done? You don’t know. And you’re not supposed to ask.”
The comments in the now-deleted post have been condemned as “disgusting” by local politicians who have accused Michael Deane of “repeating racist lies” and “scapegoating migrant workers”.
West Belfast MLA Gerry Carroll said: “Disgusting post from restauranteur Michael Deane. Punching down on migrant workers & repeating racist lies in the context of far-right vigilantes assaulting delivery workers. Scapegoating migrant workers won’t fill your tables.”
Now, Deliveroo and Just Eat have outlined their protocols and background checks they complete for staff. In a statement, a Just Eat spokesperson said: “Just Eat is committed to tackling any illegal working via our platform. We continue to invest significant resources to strengthen our systems against abuse by individuals and organised criminal groups seeking to evade right to work rules.
“We are working closely with the Home Office and our industry partners to address any loopholes in the industry’s checks, as well as collaborating on data sharing and enforcement.”
“The platform communicates their expectations to couriers, with robust compliance measures in place to make sure they’re met. Couriers must be over 18, authorised to work in the UK, free of criminal convictions, and meet all licensing and insurance requirements.
Just Eat’s onboarding processes for couriers reviews UK right-to-work documentation. The service has committed to upping its checks from monthly to daily.”
A Deliveroo spokesperson said: “Our mission is to support local restaurants and shops by connecting them with customers who live nearby, directly supporting local jobs and economies.”
“We take a zero tolerance approach to illegal working on our platform, which is conducted by a small minority. If a rider is found to be in breach of the law and their obligations, we will terminate their contract with us. We are currently working on a number of tech changes to increase the security of our platform in Northern Ireland.”
Deliveroo riders are only provided with minimal data required to perform the delivery (name and address). Data is only available when a rider is fulfilling the delivery, with no customer data “logged.”
The platform has recently increased the quantity and sophistication of daily facial recognition checks they already do so that many riders must complete multiple randomised facial recognition checks every day.
All riders must verify their right to work documents before they can complete a delivery. The delivery service has a dedicated team focused on this issue, focused on ensuring compliance, as well as exploring further measures to strengthen checks and prevent illegal working on the platform.
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