Uber drivers Ben Geraghty (far right) and Moham Biswas (second right) with organisers from IWGB

A GROUP of delivery drivers in Camden are taking on Deliveroo with a legal challenge for basic employment rights and union recognition.

The takeaway service delivery drivers, backed by the Independent Workers of Great Britain (IWGB) union, have written to the company arguing that its drivers should be classed as “workers” rather than “independent contractors”, who have no working rights.

IWGB general secre­tary Jason Moyer-Lee told the New Journal: “These companies say these workers are all independent business people who don’t need employment rights and don’t need to unionise. We say they are workers – hired by big companies – and need to be treated as such.”

Deliveroo have enjoyed booming popularity with an app that allows users to order food brought to their door from some of the big-name high street providers. The distinctive turquoise uniform of Deliveroo cyclists and scooter riders has become a regular sight across the borough.

Mr Moyer-Lee added: “When you work for Deliveroo they assign you to a zone – it’s usually about a couple of square miles. We say that zone is a workplace. We chose Camden as the test site because we have a strong presence there.”

In Camden, because of the number of people ordering takeaways, Deliveroo operates a different pay system to less busy areas. Here drivers log in to a central system and are paid £3.50 for each delivery. In quieter areas, Deliveroo operates a shift system with a £7 an hour rate, plus £1 for each delivery, which drivers in Camden say is a better deal.

The IWGB want union recognition for delivery such as this can be discussed with Deliveroo through collective bargaining. It is making its move in a repeat of a landmark legal action against Uber, which has now been forced to recognise the employment rights of the drivers who help to keep the taxi app running.

Mr Moyer-Lee said: “In a similar way that two Uber guys acted as a test case for the other 40,000 Uber drivers in the country, it is inconceiv­able that Deliveroo guys in Camden could be workers but those in Angel would be independent contractors.

“If we win recognition, Deliveroo will have to sit down and negotiate with Camden drivers and with us. It will mean they get at least the minimum wage [and] they will be entitled to paid holiday.” Mr Moyer-Lee sent a letter to the Deliveroo warning they will make an application to the Central Arbitration Committee – which adjudicates on union recognition decisions – within 10 days. For the union to be recognised, it must prove that 10 per cent of the workforce are in the IWGB.

In a statement, Deliveroo said it was “committed to providing great opportunities for UK riders, with the flexible work riders value, and a payment model which is fair, rewarding and better matches riders’ time with customers’ orders”.