DPD delivers a pay promise

Firm also drops £150 absence fines

DELIVERY giant DPD has been pressured into offering thousands of drivers a better deal.

Measures include a pledge to pay all couriers the living wage and scrapping £150-a-day fines for drivers who miss work.

The move follows a review triggered by the death in January of self-employed courier Don Lane. Mr Lane, 53, who lived in Christchurch, Dorset, suffered from diabetes but was fined £150 for missing work to attend a medical appointment.

Most of DPD’s 6,000 drivers in the UK are self employed, on two types of contracts.

The company, owned by France’s La Poste, claims couriers should already be earning above the voluntary living wage, currently £8.75 an hour, or £10.20 in London.

Its pledge is to ensure this happens, regardless of hours worked.

Self-employed drivers will also get 28 days of paid holiday, pension and sick pay if they sign a new worker contract. This is mainly designed for franchisee drivers but would mean limiting themselves to a five-day week. DPD boss Dwain McDonald claimed the changes “represent a complete reappraisal of every aspect of our package”.

The GMB gave the announcement a cautious welcome. Mick Rix, the union’s national officer, called it a “step in the right direction” but vowed to monitor the new code when it kicks in.

The move comes amid growing anger at the treatment of workers in Britain’s gig economy, with many employed on zero-hours contracts. Food delivery firm

Deliveroo recently announced it was spending £10million to equip 35,000 riders with free accident insurance.

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