Omniva, the government-owned postal delivery company in Estonia, ran a pilot project organised on a gig economy basis.
The pilot, which stated it is looking for “people’s couriers” to sign-up and work using their own vehicle and equipment, comes amidst a dispute with Omniva’s employees over wages.
Kadri Kangur, head of the Pro Trade Union, said he believes that the pilot has been introduced to “replace” the company’s employees “with unqualified platform workers”. Kangur said that the wages of Omniva delivery workers had not increased for two years and that they earn close to the poverty line. The union also denounced the Estonian government for under-funding Omniva.
The union said it believed the company’s introduction of a pilot undermined ILO conventions, including on the right of workers to organise and that workers should not be treated unequally for the same work.
The state-run postal company claim that the introduction of the platform will help Omniva respond to fluctuations in consumer demand.