Just Eat couriers in Zurich and the Glattal launched a day-long strike on Sunday, walking off the job from 11:00 to 22:00 in protest against planned mass layoffs and a shift toward independent contracting.
The job action hits the delivery service on its busiest day of the week, with roughly 20 couriers gathering at Stauffacher around 13:00 wearing their signature orange jackets instead of delivering orders.
According to the trade union Syndicom, more than half of the scheduled shifts for the midday and evening hours were disrupted by the walkout. The labor action follows a previous protest held outside the company’s headquarters late last month, which workers say failed to prompt a dialogue with management.
Just Eat plans to replace direct employment with platform models
The conflict stems from an organizational overhaul announced by Just Eat on October 22. The company plans to replace its direct employment model with a platform-based structure, relying more heavily on self-employed couriers and external delivery partners. This restructuring could eliminate several hundred of the roughly 700 courier positions across Switzerland, with estimates from the workforce putting the number of threatened jobs at around 500.
Just Eat Schweiz chief Lukas Streich explained to the Tages-Anzeiger that the reorganization responds to changing customer ordering patterns and the need for greater scheduling flexibility.
Under the proposed model, independent couriers would be able to choose whether to accept individual orders at offered rates, mirroring the operating model used by competitor Uber Eats. Syndicom representatives, however, point out that courier jobs in French-speaking cantons like Geneva and Vaud remain protected under direct employment contracts following a court ruling.
Did You Know? The dispute highlights a sharp regional divide within Switzerland, where couriers in Geneva and Vaud retain their direct employment contracts following a court ruling, while those in cities like Zurich, Bern, Basel, and Winterthur face transition to independent status.
Couriers raise concerns about income stability and insurance
Couriers participating in the strike have raised serious concerns regarding income stability, accident insurance, and the shifting of business risks. Severin, a 26-year-old philosophy student who works part-time delivering food by bicycle in the Glattal, earns roughly 1,000 to 1,00050 francs per month for about ten hours of weekly work.
Jan, a 38-year-old courier working a 50 percent shift primarily on a motorcycle during evening hours, voiced deep anxiety over losing his employer-backed accident and health insurance.
I have fallen several times already, especially in the evening and when it is cold
Jan said, explaining that without direct coverage, he could not afford treatment costs for a severe accident. Striking workers are demanding the complete cancellation of the mass layoffs, the preservation of direct employment contracts, and an extension of the consultation period through November 30.
Union Warnings Over Bogus Self-Employment
Just Eat has not yet responded to inquiries regarding Sunday’s strike action, and it remains unclear whether the labor dispute will spread to additional operational locations in the coming days.
Why Just Eat couriers are striking in Zurich
Why are Just Eat couriers striking in Zurich?
Couriers are protesting against planned mass layoffs and a corporate reorganization that aims to replace hundreds of direct employment contracts with independent contractor positions. The workers want management to enter negotiations with Syndicom to preserve their secure jobs and social benefits.
How many jobs are affected by the restructuring?
Just Eat employs roughly 700 couriers across Switzerland, and company restructuring plans could eliminate several hundred of those positions. Workforce representatives estimate that approximately 500 couriers face potential dismissal.
What are the primary demands of the striking workers?
The strikers demand an immediate halt to the planned job cuts, the retention of direct employment contracts with accident and sickness insurance, and a formal extension of the consultation process with the company until November 30.
What factors should carry the most weight when evaluating the working conditions of modern delivery platforms?