Introducing Wings: The London cooperative taking on the gig economy, offering ethical food delivery

We are Wings: a new food delivery company, hitting back against the gig economy. We promise our customers ‘a totally ethical way to get your favourite restaurant food’. We are rider-owned cooperative Wings and launching in Finsbury Park, North London this Friday, 23 July. 

The gig economy - where delivery riders and other workers are paid per task rather than hourly - has come under fire recently as analysis has shown that this results in unpredictable earnings which are often below the minimum wage. 

An investigation by the Bureau of Investigative Journalists showed that delivery riders - recognised as essential ‘key workers’ in the pandemic - struggle to make ends meet. Analysts believe that gig economy practices, common in taxis and food delivery, could yet come for many more jobs such as hospitality.

By contrast, Wings is owned and run by delivery riders as a cooperative. We guarantee all riders will be employed on London Living Wage, ensuring job security, sick pay and benefits. 

Wings is also the only food delivery company committed to using only zero-emission vehicles. Wings is good for riders, good for the environment and good for society.

Our collective of delivery riders and organisers who came together to fight food insecurity during the first Covid lockdown in Summer 2020. Working with a South London charity, we mobilised a network of over 100 volunteer riders to deliver free food parcels to over 800 households. With London looking ahead to life after the pandemic, we have turned our sights towards the fiercely-contested restaurant delivery sector.

Wings Founder and former Deliveroo rider, Rich Mason said: “The pandemic has highlighted the crucial role of delivery riders, who put themselves at risk to keep the nation going through lockdown.  The least they deserve is fair pay and conditions. 

“As a society, it’s time to take a stand against companies that rely on exploiting vital workers. People are waking up to the fact that the convenience of popular delivery apps has come at a huge social cost. 

“For riders, this is about disrupting the disruptors, taking back power so we can afford to live decent lives from the hard work we put in. For customers, we’re offering the best of all worlds - a way to enjoy their favourite food with none of the guilt.”

Our app is being launched with grant funding from Islington Council, aiming to support the creation of good jobs and a more democratic and equitable economy in the borough. We aim to create over one hundred jobs for riders in our first three years.

Cllr Asima Shaikh, Islington Council’s Executive Member for Inclusive Economy and Jobs, said: “We’re determined to make Islington a fairer place, and as we emerge from Covid-19, to rebuild an economy that works for everyone, giving local people a share of the opportunities on their doorstep.

“We’re very pleased to support the launch of Wings, an innovative and exciting ethical alternative to existing food delivery platforms. We want to support people into good quality jobs and to challenge the exploitation of workers in the gig economy. We also want to support small, independent businesses and entrepreneurs, and to encourage alternative ownership models such as cooperatives.

“Wings seeks to create a totally ethical way to order food, including paying the London Living Wage to riders, with sick pay and benefits and using only zero-emission vehicles. Our seed funding will help to get Wings started, and we look forward to working with Wings on their ambitious and exciting vision.”