CHINA Mutual aid among delivery drivers

The testimonial below was first published in the Newsletter of the Commission of Inquiry in China

Yang Xiaobing is a bicycle delivery driver. On last February 28, he was knocked down by a large truck while making a delivery in the east of Beijing. The result: a broken leg. Yang is part of a group of WeChat (China’s famous messaging app) delivery drivers to whom he has appealed: he needs to raise funds for surgery, as applying for a work accident certificate takes time – and requires the cooperation of the employer – and the insurance he has taken out through the platform company cannot meet the requirement, reports China Labour Bulletin (July 13).

Chen Guojiang, a former leader of the Delivery Workers Alliance, launched an appeal on his networks for financial contributions to help Yang because, he said, « if the operation is not carried out in time, it is very likely to result in severe disability for life!« . In ten days, the necessary sum was raised by Yang Xiaobing’s group in a fantastic show of solidarity.

Yang explains: « Containment for the epidemic happened all at once. All it takes is one sentence to be locked in. We tried several times to appeal this policy for delivery drivers, but it was no use. Nobody cares. The city and county pass the buck. We’ve suffered too many unfair things in these three years. Things… life at the lowest rung of the ladder… you can’t even imagine« . He’s no stranger to the administrative process of claiming workmen’s compensation: in fact, he was once the victim of a workrelated accident certified by his stateowned company, but was never able to collect a penny. On another occasion, his claim was never accepted.

Yang Xiaobing works for the Beijing-based giant Meituan. But it’s a platform in Langfang, a hundred kilometers from the head office, that assigns him the job. Another company, located in another province, Henan, pays his wages. Finally, it’s a fourth company, based in a third province (Nanchang, Jiangxi), which processes his contributions and taxes!

Chen Guojiang asks: « I don’t know whether it’s me who’s ‘sick’ or the company that’s ‘sick’. Many meal delivery drivers have endured so much in recent years, but nobody cares about them when they suffer tragic accidents. So I don’t know who’s sick: society, the meal delivery platforms or us, the delivery drivers. Who can answer me? “