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Turkish food delivery couriers in Istanbul have launched protests against their companies, Getir and Vigo, after abrupt pay cuts of up to 30% were introduced just before the Eid al-Adha holiday, demanding the immediate withdrawal of the new pricing policies and bilateral contracts to guarantee worker rights.
Workers accused their companies of removing bonuses and introducing policies that significantly reduce their earnings, while the platforms also eliminated weekly bonuses and implemented controversial policies where workers receive full pay only for the first package in multi-delivery orders, with subsequent packages paid at half rate.
The timing of the pay cuts, announced on the eve of Eid al-Adha when many workers expected holiday bonuses, sparked immediate backlash across the delivery workforce.
Workers described the decision as particularly harsh given that similar cuts were imposed during the same holiday period last year.
According to bianet.com, the protest movement gained momentum rapidly through social media coordination among delivery workers.
After receiving pricing update messages in WhatsApp groups on May 30 evening, workers organized engine shutdowns across multiple districts in Istanbul by June 1.
At Getir's Besiktas depot, 13 motorcycle and car delivery workers completely shut down operations.
The action spread to other areas as workers held convoy protests, including a notable demonstration on Istanbul's Anatolian side where delivery workers drove to Vigo's Kozyatagi office.
At Getir, workers reported average pay cuts of 30-35%, with per-package rates dropping from ₺105 ($2.68) to ₺74 for standard deliveries, and from ₺65 to ₺44 for additional packages from the same business.
Workers at Vigo faced similar reductions, with mathematical calculations showing that a delivery worker completing 30 packages daily would experience a 4.77% income drop, while those working 12-hour shifts and delivering 35 packages would see earnings fall by 7.51%.
The platforms also eliminated weekly bonuses and implemented policies where workers receive full pay only for the first package in multi-delivery orders from the same business, with subsequent packages paid at half rate.
When Getir attempted to break the strike by bringing in Vigo delivery workers as replacements, an unexpected show of solidarity emerged.
The Vigo workers who arrived at the Besiktas depot spoke directly with the striking Getir employees and chose not to cross the picket line after learning about the situation.
"Don't be complicit in the injustice created by Getir. You know no one would work for those rates," one striking worker told the potential replacement workers, who subsequently agreed not to return to the depot.
The striking delivery workers have put forward clear demands, primarily calling for the immediate withdrawal of the new pricing policies.
They are also seeking bilateral contracts that would guarantee worker rights and prevent similar unilateral changes in the future.
Workers have indicated they will continue their struggle through collective slowdowns, engine shutdowns, and other forms of protest if their demands are not met.
The action represents part of a broader pattern of labor disputes in Türkiye's delivery sector, following a major nationwide strike by delivery workers in 2022 that was among the largest labor actions in the country in recent years.
Turkish delivery companies, including Trendyol GO, Getir, Vigo, and Yemeksepeti have been grappling with mounting financial pressures as high operational costs collide with sluggish consumer demand.
These economic headwinds have pushed the platforms to implement aggressive cost-reduction measures that directly impact worker compensation.
Challenges at Getir currently persist as the company faces a management crisis between its new owner, UAE-based Mubadala, and the company's founders.
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