澳大利亚公平工作委员会正式批准了针对食品配送驾驶员的最低时薪标准，定为每小时31.30澳元，高于国家最低时薪26.44澳元[1]。该标准由运输工人工会、Uber Eats和DoorDash经过超过4年的协商达成，将于2024年8月17日生效[1]。
根据新标准，最低时薪保障仅适用于工作分配或接受后至配送完成期间，空档时间不纳入计算[1]。平台需为驾驶员提供个人意外保险，但工作者需自行购买第三方保险[1]。运输工人工会主席Michael Kaine表示，"零工在澳大利亚长期以来被排除在我们的职场体系之外"[1]。Uber Eats负责人Ed Kitchen则指出，"公平标准与灵活性可以并存"[1]。
这一协议对澳大利亚数十万零工经济从业者提供了法律保护[1]。该成果得以实现，源于澳大利亚政府2023年"关闭漏洞改革"赋予委员会为零工经济制定此类标准的权力[1]。
Australia's Fair Work Commission has approved a minimum hourly wage standard for food delivery drivers, marking a significant milestone in workplace protections for gig economy workers.[1] The approved rate of $31.30 per hour exceeds Australia's national minimum wage of $26.44 per hour, representing a substantial gain for the sector.[1] The standard comes into effect on Monday, August 17, 2024, following more than four years of negotiations among the Transport Workers' Union, Uber Eats, and DoorDash.[1]
The new wage applies specifically to the period from when workers accept a job assignment through delivery completion, excluding unpaid waiting time between orders.[1] Platforms are required to provide personal accident insurance coverage, though workers must independently arrange third-party insurance.[1] Transport Workers' Union president Michael Kaine characterized the outcome as overdue protection, stating that "gig workers in Australia were left outside of our workplace systems for far too long."[1] Uber Eats leadership responded positively to the framework, with Ed Kitchen asserting that "fair standards and flexibility can co-exist."[1]
The agreement reflects a policy shift enabled by the Australian government's 2023 "closing loopholes" reforms, which granted the Fair Work Commission authority to establish industry standards for the gig economy.[1] The arrangement provides legal protections to hundreds of thousands of casual workers operating in Australia's on-demand delivery sector.[1]