Today, over 3000 essential workers will lose their jobs as Foodora, a food delivery app that operates in 10 cities across Canada, shuts down its Canadian operations. At a time when most people are staying home, and no one is going out to restaurants, shouldn’t the food delivery business be booming? Well, it is: Delivery Hero, the Berlin-based company that owns Foodora, made 2 billion dollars in revenue last year, and posted a 92% growth in revenue this year. Needless to say the shutdown came as a complete shock to Foodora’s couriers, and their  unofficial union, Foodsters United.

The Foodora couriers aren’t your typical gig economy workers: just two months ago, the Ontario Labour Relations Board ruled that they’re dependent contractors, which gives them the right to form a union. It seemed like the typical pitfalls of the gig economy- precarious work, no sick or injury pay, no voice in the company- might finally be changing for the Foodsters. Now that Foodora is packing up, what’s next for Foodsters United? We talk to Alex Kurth, courier and member of Foodsters United, to discuss allegations of union busting, organizing gig workers, and what it’s like to deliver food during the COVID crisis.

Click here for more information about Foodsters United.

Photos: Tess Siksay