Bolt Food Couriers Go On Strike To Protest Low Delivery Prices
Several Bolt Food couriers have gone on strike in protest at what they view as increasingly low delivery prices offered by the platform.
Several couriers who reached out to Lovin Malta said they are concerned that the delivery prices offered by Bolt Food “don’t meet European standards” and are significantly affecting their livelihoods.
“Despite our efforts to address these concerns with the company, there has been no satisfactory response or adjustment to the pricing structure,” they said.
“Our aim is to highlight the challenging conditions we face and to call for fair compensation that reflects the cost of living and the hard work we put into ensuring timely and efficient food deliveries.”
Some people who ordered food but were impacted by the strike voiced their frustration on social media last night.
One woman posted on the Are You Being Served Facebook group that she had placed an order with a Mosta restaurant at 8:37pm and was informed by the app that it was ready to be picked up around an hour later. However, by 11:30pm, her food had yet to arrive due to the strike.
Have you been impacted by the strike?
Bolt Malta responds
In its reaction to the strike, Bolt Malta said it was carried out by a “small group” of couriers and defended its policies.
“We respect the right of couriers to strike, provided it is conducted peacefully. Over the past few months, Bolt has increased courier earnings per hour in Malta due to a rise in deliveries per hour compared to last year,” they said.
“While recent adjustments have been made to multipliers—used to incentivize couriers during times of higher demand—couriers are experiencing overall increases in hourly earnings despite variations in payment per order based on the time of day or week.”
“Bolt partners with fleet companies that provide delivery services, compensating them per delivery for their services. Each fleet company is responsible for paying its employees according to its internal processes; Bolt does not pay any salaries directly.”
“However, we remain open to working with our fleet partners if couriers have any complaints. To date, we have not received any communication from the group of couriers currently striking.”
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