Bolt Food is working towards optimising its pricing to help increase earnings in the wake of a protest called by couriers of the food delivery company.

Up to 300 or more couriers are set to go on strike today over massive decreases in their earnings and other disputes with the food courier company. Bolt Food told Lovin Malta that it is aware of the strike and is in regular communication with couriers to inform them of their plans. 

“Our goal is to provide high-quality service to our customers and best-earning opportunities to our couriers,” a spokesperson said.

However, couriers claim that their pay rate and bonus policies have been decreasing day by day despite the major safety risks on Malta’s roads.

The strike is likely to continue until Sunday, with couriers issuing four demands:

1. Return to old pay rates and bounces.
2. Increase kilometre fares.
3. Paid waiting time
4. Stop odd hiring.

Issues at Bolt Food and other couriers are well known and have been under the spotlight since 2021 following revelations that hundreds of third-country nationals are being employed by fleets that take at least half of their income.

Meanwhile, Bolt Food has routinely slashed fees paid to couriers by reducing their peak-time bonuses by an average of more than 50%.

Earlier this year, the food courier, taxi and e-scooter company Bolt announced it parted ways with local company TXF Tech. 

Bolt has since started to operate in Malta independently with the aim of strengthening its position as a market leader in Malta and “make the market more competitive and introduce its global procedures and processes on the island”.

However, it appears that the same problems have continued with drivers regularly raising concerns over the earnings they generate with the company, which reportedly continue to be slashed. 

Some have reported having lost between 30 and 50% of their salary as a result of the manner in which they were engaged to work.

The government has long pledged to address the issues surrounding platform workers. However, nothing has ever materialised in Malta with the EU now looking into the issue.

What do you think of the strike?