Heatwave prompts Italy's delivery riders to strike for extra rights
Delivery riders in several Italian cities are striking to demand better working conditions and health protections during extreme summer heatwaves. Local authorities in Milan have already implemented restrictions on delivery hours, while unions across Europe are pushing for broader safety protocols.
Why it matters
It highlights the growing tension between the gig economy and labor rights in the context of climate change-induced extreme weather.
Image source, AFP via Getty Images By Paul Kirby Europe digital editor Published 3 hours ago Delivery riders are to strike in several Italian cities on Wednesday, calling for better working conditions in the intense summer heat.
In Milan, city authorities have limited deliveries during the hottest hours of the day until September, and riders working for Glovo and Deliveroo are to halt work in the evening to call for measures to protect their wages as well as their health.
In Bologna, riders will switch off their apps and demonstrate in the centre of the city, and there will be a similar stoppage for several hours in Florence, where temperatures are set to hit 40C this week.
Italy is not the only European country where workers have called for better conditions during the heatwaves.
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