DELIVEROO workers took part in a protest yesterday over low wages and poor working conditions.

The Ride With Us protest, organised by the Independent Workers Union of Great Britain (IWGB), involved around 40 riders who gathered in Jubilee Square before cycling to popular restaurants in Brighton.

The delivery workers are demanding a freeze in recruitment, £5 per delivery, no victimisation of delivery riders by their bosses and a guarantee to be paid the hourly living wage.

Dr Jason Moyer-Lee, IWGB general secretary, said: “Today’s demonstration shows the strength of feeling among Deliveroo riders and their supporters in Brighton about the poverty wages the company is paying them.

“Deliveroo has shown that it will not do anything until forced into it by legal action or a campaign.

“Winning this campaign is not a question of if, but when.”

The union represents Deliveroo riders in London and Brighton, where there is an ongoing campaign requesting the company to increase the “drop rate” for deliveries from £4 to £5.

A tribunal has been scheduled for May 24 and 25 to examine whether Deliveroo riders are workers or independent contractors.

The Central Arbitration Committee will oversee the tribunal and will ultimately determine the employment status of Deliveroo riders in the UK.

Mags Dewhurst, chairwoman of IWGB couriers and logistics branch, said: “I am at the protest because I would like Deliveroo to recognise the plight of the drivers and riders and recognise that their business model is having exploitative effects.

“We want to see them give riders £5 per delivery and to make sure that those who make deliveries are not paid less than £8.45 an hour plus the cost of doing the job.”

delivery rider George Bela, 23, from Brighton, said he thought the situation was really unequal between motorcyclists and cyclists who work for Deliveroo and that the pay just wasn’t good enough.

The riders at the protest were all wearing Deliveroo jackets and had the company’s delivery boxes attached to their bikes while travelling around the city to spread their message of dissatisfaction.

An online petition calling for increased pay for Brighton riders has gained just under 40,000 signatures.

A Deliveroo spokesman said: “We are proud to offer flexible work to 15,000 people in the UK.

“The IWGB does not accurately represent the majority of our riders who overwhelmingly support the flexibility and good pay which comes with being self employed.”