Catalonia’s government has opened an ex officio investigation into delivery platforms including Uber, Glovo and Amazon to examine the protocols they use to protect riders during adverse weather, following episodes of torrential rain in the region in recent weeks.
The Labour Inspectorate has asked the companies to provide the required documentation. The platforms have until mid-November to submit it, according to information first reported by Catalunya Ràdio and confirmed by La Vanguardia.
The investigation aims to determine whether the main delivery services operating in Catalonia have preventive measures in place to protect workers’ safety and health during severe weather. These measures may include reducing or limiting working hours and, in cases of very serious risk, suspending work altogether.
Laura Freixas, director general of Catalonia’s Labour Inspectorate, said the government had launched the action proactively. She added that authorities could consider opening sanctioning proceedings if the required measures had not been implemented.
Catalan president Salvador Illa said that workplaces also need to adapt to climate change, including their schedules and operating methods. He cited companies that brought forward supermarket closing times to 7 p.m. during recent weather episodes as an example of good practice, stressing the need to protect workers and adjust working conditions quickly.
Before the investigation was announced, the FSC-CCOO union had filed a complaint with the Barcelona Labour Inspectorate in mid-October against Uber Eats and its subcontractors. The union accused them of keeping delivery workers on public roads on October 6 while red and orange weather warnings were in effect.
The platforms under investigation maintain that they already take relevant measures and comply with current regulations.
Sources: La Vanguardia.