Brazil deliverymen for Uber, other apps protest amid pandemic

Over a thousand food deliverymen on motorcycles gathered in São Paulo on Wednesday to protest their work conditions, set by Uber and other apps, with their work in high demand due to the coronavirus pandemic. It was not the first time delivery workers have taken to the streets to demonstrate against Uber, Colombia's Rappi and Brazil's iFood.

Over a thousand food deliverymen on motorcycles gathered in São Paulo on Wednesday to protest their work conditions, set by Uber and other apps, with their work in high demand due to the coronavirus pandemic. The drivers seek higher pay and better health measures, with Brazil now a coronavirus epicenter and delivery workers facing exposure to the virus.

The workers complain that their take-home pay has gone down over time while they have to work in more precarious conditions. It was not the first time delivery workers have taken to the streets to demonstrate against Uber, Colombia's Rappi and Brazil's iFood. But the demonstration appeared to be the biggest to date.

The companies issued statement saying worker demands have been addressed, and did not commit to raising pay in response to the pressure. The protests were to continue into the night, with the delivery workers riding their motorcycles through the city while wearing the branded backpack containers of their employers.