DoorDash charges workers $15 for "free" coronavirus supplies — while paying them $2 to deliver food
In a recent email to customers (and statements to media), DoorDash claimed they have “begun distributing hand sanitizer and gloves to Dashers” to ensure workers & customers stay safe.
And they sent a message to workers too — offering “free gloves and hand sanitizer” in hopes of helping mitigate the spread.
Sounds like a good step. A little better than just saying “wash your hands” at least.
Except.
When they say "free" they mean you still have to pay the shipping of course. And the shipping is more than $10 — at minimum.
They're charging $10 - $40. To deliver gloves and sanitizer so workers can stay safe when doing deliveries. While they pay as little as $2 per job.
Funny how a delivery is worth only $2 when a Dasher does it, but it costs over $10 when they have to pay someone else.
The information they’re putting out is not only misleading PR spin — it’s dangerous, for workers and customers alike.
DoorDash knows their workers can’t afford $15 to get these supplies. Because they know their pay has hit rock bottom. They know that about a third of their jobs pay less than $0 after factoring in expenses.
And they know that for workers in this time of crisis, every single penny counts — especially as we see more and more workers directly impacted: hundreds of schools in dozens of states have shut down, forcing workers to stay home to take care of kids & cutting down on the time they can work. In highly impacted areas, restaurants are shutting their doors, closing early, or refusing third-party orders.
DoorDash is known for this kind of slippery language — they stole tips for two years while claiming they were being passed on to workers.
In this case, their dishonesty isn’t just gross, it’s dangerous too.
By publicly claiming their workers are being given supplies, when what they’re really doing is charging workers who can’t afford them, they’re risking the health of their workers, customers, and the general public. Rather than provide them with supplies they need to keep themselves & their customers safe, DoorDash wants to squeeze them for a few more dollars the company can ABSOLUTELY afford to spend.
And if they’re lying about this…why should we trust them about the “financial assistance” policy they claim they’ll put in place for workers who contract coronavirus or get quarantined? How far will that really go to keep sick workers at home?
DoorDash needs to provide workers with real protections, now. They need to ensure all workers have the supplies they need to keep themselves & their communities safe. They need to give workers — not just customers — the option for no-contact delivery. They need to let workers access unemployment benefits if they can’t work during the crisis.
It’s a matter of protecting workers in a time of intense need — and of taking the responsible steps to mitigate this crisis for our entire community.
And while they’re at it, they can commit to the pay standards workers have been demanding for over a year: a pay floor of $15/hr PLUS expenses, with tips on top, and transparency. So that when the next crisis hits, workers won’t be scrambling to cover their basic living expenses and trying to scrape together $10 to get gloves so they can continue doing their work.