Huckmag notes that female couriers are being denied toilet dignity:
The issue of workers being denied toilet dignity has worsened during the pandemic. For female couriers – who are disproportionately impacted by the problem – it’s taking a toll on both their mental wellbeing and ability to work.
Phoebe, a courier based in London, recently found herself reduced to tears on a shift. She was in Costa Coffee, begging staff to let her use their bathroom, but was repeatedly refused. It’s not the only time she’s found herself pleading with people to let them use their toilet during the pandemic: “You do end up crying and shouting at people,” she says. “It’s just degrading.”
Stories like Phoebe’s are acutely familiar to most couriers, as is the denial of their experiences by the companies they work for. Just last week, in an attempt to dispel the negative media the company routinely attracts, Amazon’s ‘news’ account tweeted: “You don’t really believe the peeing in bottles thing, do you? If that were true, nobody would work for us.” The reality is that Amazon is well aware this is happening and will fire drivers who are caught peeing in public.
Amazon are not the only company that treats workers badly:
Fighting for workers’ rights and protection is particularly hard for couriers working for behemoths like Amazon, Uber and Deliveroo, where all contact with the company is made via an app. “Most of the time, you’re put off from bothering to complain,” says Kerry, who works for Deliveroo. “Especially things that are personal – you don’t feel like you’re ever going to get a response.”
Deliveroo drivers are expected to go offline and lose money for the period in which they are trying to locate a toilet. “It definitely privileges people who are healthy, or are able to go for a piss in the street, like men tend to, and people who don’t have periods,” says Kelly.
Because Deliveroo maintains that its workers are self-employed, the company is essentially allowed to wash its hands of any responsibility around working conditions.
One fix for this would be to change employment law so employers are forced to treat employees better.
A more comprehensive solution would be a universal basic income (UBI). This gives more power to all workers in negotiations over pay and working conditions, because it gives them an effective right to walk away if they are not offered terms they consider acceptable. UBI wouldn't just help couriers, it would help workers in all industries.
Westminster is clearly not going to implement UBI or better employment legislation. (Or any of 1001 other much-needed reforms).
Scotland can't now, because Westminster ties our hands. The solution to this is independence so that Scotland can do what's best for us without Westminster preventing us.
I think you are being rather sexist because ALL delivery couriers are being denied toilet dignity not just the female ones.Couriers with vans have to get in the back of the van, lock the doors and pissin a bottle. I once had to even defecate in the back of a van.