Milan - The images of yellow delivery backpacks are part of everyday life in Italian cities, but behind the scenes of delivery giant Glovo, a system of massive exploitation is smouldering, according to investigators. The Milan public prosecutor's office has issued a decree ordering judicial control over the company Foodinho srl, which operates the Glovo network in Italy. The accusation is serious: „caporalato“ - a form of illegal labor brokerage and exploitation normally known from the agricultural sector.
Dramatic wage differences and total surveillance
The sole managing director Oscar Pierre Miquel is at the center of the investigation by public prosecutor Paolo Storari. According to the investigations, the approximately 40,000 riders affected in Italy - 2,000 of them in Milan alone - received wages that were up to % 76.95 below the official poverty line. Compared to the collective agreements in force in the industry, the payments were even up to 81.62 % lower. This is a massive violation of Article 36 of the Italian constitution, which guarantees every employee a wage that enables them to live in dignity.
The testimonies of the workers concerned paint a frightening picture. Many riders, often migrants in financial need, reported working twelve-hour days for a monthly income of just 800 to 900 euros. They were often only paid between 2.50 and 3.70 euros per delivery. The couriers were under constant digital surveillance: anyone who delivered too slowly was sanctioned by the system or received warning calls from the head office.
Judiciary sets an example against modern slavery
The decision on judicial control means that the company will be assigned supervisors to ensure compliance with labor rights and to break up the exploitative structures. The decree must now be confirmed by an investigating judge within ten days.
The investigators emphasize that Glovo systematically exploited the „plight of the workers“. As many suppliers are dependent on sending money to their families abroad, they submitted to the app's harsh regiment. With this legal blow, the Milan judiciary is sending a clear signal against precarious working conditions in the so-called gig economy and calling for fair conditions for the tens of thousands of couriers on Italy's roads.
