Dubai's Food Delivery Services Are More Dangerous for Their Workers
2021-09-23
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1Activists are worried about a growing number of deaths and injuries among food delivery riders in Dubai in the United Arab Emirates.
2The activists say the coronavirus health crisis has pushed millions of people indoors.
3The restrictions have resulted in a sharp increase in online orders for delivery.
4That increase has changed Dubai's streets and stores.
5It has brought motorcycle riders, mostly from Pakistan, to the work of food delivery.
6The industry has few rules and can be dangerous.
7Most riders are paid $2 to $3 for each delivery instead of hourly pay.
8This leads riders to race across the city to keep up with the orders.
9It also gives them a reason to try to deliver as many orders as possible.
10The conditions riders usually face have become even more dangerous because of restrictions put in place to stop the spread of COVID-19.
11Dubai is a rich city that runs on low-paid migrant labor from Africa and Asia.
12Workers in Dubai have few protections.
13They depend on sponsors who guarantee their work visas.
14Karen Young is with the Middle East Institute, a research group in Washington, D.C.
15She said the visa sponsors are usually responsible for mistreatment.
16She said, "That's where people feel they're unable to change jobs or even to complain about working conditions."
17On Dubai's streets, more than 12 delivery drivers who spoke to the Associated Press said they knew of two or three co-workers who were killed every month.
18Many said they have bad memories of seeing coworkers killed.
19Dubai recorded 448 deaths from car accidents in 2019.
20There are not yet official numbers for 2020.
21But safety activists say at least 70 delivery riders were hospitalized last year in Dubai, including 24 who died.
22The state-linked Emirati newspaper The National reported that 12 delivery riders were killed in April.
23A police official has said, "When money comes into the equation, safety is put aside."
24Companies like Deliveroo, based in Britain, and Talabat use other companies to provide them with drivers and vehicles.
25Industry experts say delivery drivers in Dubai often lack protective equipment and safety training.
26The companies provide $27 a month for vehicle services and repair.
27Dubai's Road and Transportation Authority told The Associated Press that safety remains most important as it supports the delivery market's growth.
28Officials said they have issued new rules like reducing how far drivers can ride.
29Riders for Deliveroo and Talabat said they received limited insurance.
30It pays a few hundred dollars with no death or accident payments.
31Several riders who were in accidents said they returned to Pakistan to get healthcare after their insurance would not pay the costs in Dubai.
32Mohammed Asin is a delivery rider in Dubai.
33He said he never would have left his family in Sialkot, Pakistan, if it were not for his childhood classmate, 22-year-old Hamed Shafiq who rode for Talabat.
34"He kept saying, 'Join me, this is the dream. We can make real money. Our families can have a better life,'" Asin said.
35On February 16, Asin landed in Dubai and moved in with Shafiq.
36He signed up for Deliveroo ready to live out the dream.
37The next day, his friend was dead.
38He was hit by a car that went into his path. Asin, however, keeps delivering.
39I'm Gregory Stachel.
1Activists are worried about a growing number of deaths and injuries among food delivery riders in Dubai in the United Arab Emirates. 2The activists say the coronavirus health crisis has pushed millions of people indoors. The restrictions have resulted in a sharp increase in online orders for delivery. 3That increase has changed Dubai's streets and stores. It has brought motorcycle riders, mostly from Pakistan, to the work of food delivery. The industry has few rules and can be dangerous. 4Most riders are paid $2 to $3 for each delivery instead of hourly pay. This leads riders to race across the city to keep up with the orders. It also gives them a reason to try to deliver as many orders as possible. The conditions riders usually face have become even more dangerous because of restrictions put in place to stop the spread of COVID-19. 5Dubai is a rich city that runs on low-paid migrant labor from Africa and Asia. Workers in Dubai have few protections. They depend on sponsors who guarantee their work visas. 6Karen Young is with the Middle East Institute, a research group in Washington, D.C. She said the visa sponsors are usually responsible for mistreatment. She said, "That's where people feel they're unable to change jobs or even to complain about working conditions." 7On Dubai's streets, more than 12 delivery drivers who spoke to the Associated Press said they knew of two or three co-workers who were killed every month. Many said they have bad memories of seeing coworkers killed. 8Dubai recorded 448 deaths from car accidents in 2019. There are not yet official numbers for 2020. But safety activists say at least 70 delivery riders were hospitalized last year in Dubai, including 24 who died. 9The state-linked Emirati newspaper The National reported that 12 delivery riders were killed in April. A police official has said, "When money comes into the equation, safety is put aside." 10Companies like Deliveroo, based in Britain, and Talabat use other companies to provide them with drivers and vehicles. Industry experts say delivery drivers in Dubai often lack protective equipment and safety training. The companies provide $27 a month for vehicle services and repair. 11Dubai's Road and Transportation Authority told The Associated Press that safety remains most important as it supports the delivery market's growth. Officials said they have issued new rules like reducing how far drivers can ride. 12Riders for Deliveroo and Talabat said they received limited insurance. It pays a few hundred dollars with no death or accident payments. Several riders who were in accidents said they returned to Pakistan to get healthcare after their insurance would not pay the costs in Dubai. 13Mohammed Asin is a delivery rider in Dubai. He said he never would have left his family in Sialkot, Pakistan, if it were not for his childhood classmate, 22-year-old Hamed Shafiq who rode for Talabat. 14"He kept saying, 'Join me, this is the dream. We can make real money. Our families can have a better life,'" Asin said. 15On February 16, Asin landed in Dubai and moved in with Shafiq. He signed up for Deliveroo ready to live out the dream. 16The next day, his friend was dead. He was hit by a car that went into his path. Asin, however, keeps delivering. 17I'm Gregory Stachel. 18Isabel Debre reported this story for The Associated Press. Gregory Stachel adapted it for VOA Learning English. Mario Ritter, Jr. was the editor. 19______________________________________________________________________ 20Words in This Story 21delivery - n. the act of taking something to a person or place 22visa - n. an official mark or stamp on a passport that allows someone to enter or leave a country usually for a particular reason 23complain - v. to say or write that you are unhappy, sick, uncomfortable, etc., or that you do not like something 24equation - n. a complicated situation or issue 25insurance - n. an agreement in which a person makes regular payments to a company and the company promises to pay money if the person is injured or dies, or to pay money equal to the value of something (such as a house or car) if it is damaged, lost, or stolen