Protests in Madrid over working conditions
This Wednesday, a group of approximately 100 Glovo deliverers gathered outside the company's headquarters in Madrid, in a demonstration organised by Comisiones Obreras (CCOO). The protest aims to highlight what the union describes as “labour abuse”, following the implementation of the controversial Rider Law.
Approved in June 2025, this legislation forced digital platforms to hire their deliverers as employees. However, the results have not been as expected. According to CCOO, working conditions have worsened and practices that create tensions among employees persist.
In response to this situation, CCOO has announced three scheduled strike days from 24 to 26 April. The union claims to have a significant majority in the union elections within Glovo and has been trying to negotiate improvements without success. Despite the effort, the union criticises that the law does not adequately address the labour realities faced by deliverers.
Among the main demands is the withdrawal of the employment regulation file (ERE) that could result in the dismissal of 750 workers. Additionally, CCOO demands the end of the sanctioning regime that they consider “illegal and repressive”, as well as the opening of negotiations to establish a collective agreement adapted to the current needs of the sector.
It is no coincidence that this mobilisation is part of a broader series of protests that began in February across several provinces. The Rider Law has had significant repercussions; it even led to the exit of Deliveroo from the Spanish market, raising questions about its effectiveness. Meanwhile, CCOO seems not to fully address the root of the problem: legislation that does not adequately respond to the real labour dimensions.
As the scheduled strike dates approach, it is clear that deliverers are determined to fight for better working conditions. However, the path to effective solutions appears to be fraught with obstacles. The question remains whether these mobilisations will achieve any change or if they will simply be another chapter in a long history of labour discontent.
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