Jinn couriers are set to protest in cities across the UK over changes to their pay

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Jinn protest

Business Insider UK/Sam Shead

Protestors surround Jinn cofounder Leon Herrera.

Couriers at delivery startup Jinn are making plans to protest in cities across the UK following an initial protest outside the startup's London office last Wednesday.

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The protests are set to take place on Monday in London, Glasgow, Leeds, Birmingham, Edinburgh, and Manchester.

They're being planned because riders are unhappy with changes that have been made to the way they're paid.

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Jinn used to pay London couriers £8 per hour plus a delivery fee of £1.50 per delivery. But last Wednesday a decision was made by managers to shift courier wages drastically in cities across the UK.

Now there is a more complex payment system in place where Jinn riders are paid bonuses depending on the number of deliveries they make. Essentially, it varies depending on demand for Jinn's service. Unlike UberEats and Deliveroo, - where a courier logs in anytime it's possible, thus making them self employed - Jinn's variable pay applies to contracted hours.

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One of the protest organisers in Glasgow, who wished to remain anonymous, told Business Insider: "The couriers over here are devastated to say the least. I would imagine it's not any better in other cities in UK where the change was implemented. We're facing missed rent and financial hardships."

The courier also claimed that Jinn's local managers in Glasgow have been evading his questions. "All the important questions get dodged regardless if we ask them formally or informally, and in the response to our inquiry via email we're even getting straight up lies," he said.

Jinn CEO Leon Herrera was heckled when he confronted angry Jinn couriers outside the company's office last Wednesday. One protestor threw a bottle at Herrera as he started walking back to the office, which narrowly missed but appeared to splash his clothes.

This is not the first time that couriers working for so-called gig-economy platforms like Jinn have gone on strike over pay.

Deliveroo and UberEats saw their riders go on strike last year when they started paying drivers per delivery instead of per hour.

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Jinn did not immediately respond to Business Insider's request for comment.

Here is a letter that Jinn couriers in Glasgow sent to Jinn's management:

Hi !!!!,

Thanks for meeting us today. Here is a summary of our arguments against the structure change, a preferential structure and actions we will take in part/as a group should nothing be changed.

Disagreements with new structure and transition process.

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Contracting us for a time period, e.g. when I work schedule, means that we are entitled to a minimum wage. Therefore taking away our hourly guarantee may be unlawful.
The change in the payment structure was implemented without notice. We did not agree to these changes or were engaged in any discussion about them.
The new payment structure gives the figure of 0.7 drops per hour. We want information about where this figure was derived from.
Glasgow is not busy enough at this time to reflect the drop rate. We feel more time is needed to establish the service before drivers can take risks such as taking on shifts on Mon/Tues/Weds.
Many drivers are now unable to pay rent, provide for there families or in other forms of financial hardship.

Demands.

We want our wages on Wednesdays guaranteed at the rate before the structure changes.
We want information regarding drop ratio's and a meaningful dialogue on any changes made to our rate of pay.
We want the old structure reinstated until a time the above demand can be met.
Answers and retractions by Wednesday.

Actions.

Continuation of a legal enquiry into our workers rights for minimum wage and payment structure changes.
Demonstrating against Jinn should our payments come in on Wednesday at the new, significantly reduced, rates.
Allowing the media to run there story about our situation.

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We hope that Jinn see this as an opportunity to be a champion of workers rights and define themselves in a busy market by there ethical approach that put's driver well being and financial security first.

Regards,

Jinn Couriers Glasgow

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