UK parcel delivery company Evri and GMB, the trade union for couriers and drivers, have announced a new pay deal that will give self-employed couriers access to paid sick leave.
Under the new pay deal, Evri’s eligible ‘self-employed plus’ (SE+) couriers who are members of GMB will receive:
- Festive support payments of up to £950 (US$1,210)
- Fully subsidized death, disability, accident and sickness insurance starting January 25, 2025 providing financial protection against unforeseen circumstances
- Access to qualified accountants for assistance with VAT returns
Couriers not yet enrolled in the SE+ scheme will have the opportunity to join starting from January 2025.
Martijn De Lange, CEO of Evri, said, “Our couriers are highly valued as the engine of our business. We’ve been proud to lead the industry in offering self-employed workers greater protection and benefits since 2019. This latest groundbreaking deal is a significant step forward, demonstrating our commitment to supporting couriers financially and with a raft of protection and benefits, including sick pay for our SE+ workers in an industry first.”
Gill Ogilvie, GMB lead organizer, added, “Securing sickness payments for thousands of couriers is a huge step forward. Once again GMB has shown the difference unions can make in the modern world of work.”
The SE+ courier model was launched in September 2019 and provides couriers with access to 28 days of paid holiday, guaranteed national minimum wage, pension contributions, parental leave and additional flexible benefits.