While the union doesn’t formally represent these workers, it has engaged with at least 1,500 couriers in B.C. over the past year, according to Parm Kahlon, UFCW 1518’s managing director.
Most of them work with major food delivery apps such as Uber Eats, Skip the Dishes and DoorDash, though there are also some smaller companies involved.
According to both the union and drivers, the challenge around access to parking has been a common complaint.
“If you do a food delivery job, it is very stressful to find parking spaces,” said Rahul Syal, a part-time DoorDash courier working mainly in Burnaby and East Vancouver.