Drivers for one of the UK’s three largest courier companies can now opt in to employee type benefits such as holiday pay and guaranteed earnings. Following what is being described as a ‘groundbreaking deal’ for the gig economy by the GMB Union, Hermes couriers can now choose to become self-employed plus.
The collective bargaining agreement is the first ever recognition deal of its type according to the GMB, and is designed to support the rights of self-employed people providing courier services to Hermes. It reflects that the world of work has changed and how employers can change with it.
Hermes couriers can now choose to become ‘self-employed plus’, which provides a number of benefits such as holiday pay (pro-rata up to 28 days), and individually negotiated pay rates that allow couriers to earn at least £8.55 per hour over the year. In addition, those self-employed plus couriers that join the GMB Union will benefit from full GMB representation.
“As a result of our groundbreaking agreement, couriers will have a real voice in their workplace as well as the right to holiday pay and guaranteed pay, something GMB Union has long been campaigning for on behalf of our members.”
– Tim Roache, General Secretary, GMB
The self-employment plus status is optional – those drivers who would prefer to remain on their current form of self-employed status and earn premium rates, as has been the case for the past 20 years.
This could have a far more wide reaching impact than just for Hermes couriers – potentially it could affect other companies like Amazon Logistics and the entire gig industry from Uber to Deliveroo.
