This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-43545589
The article has changed 4 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| DPD improves workers' rights after driver's death | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Delivery firm DPD, under scrutiny after work pressures were blamed for the death of one of its drivers, is offering its 9,000 drivers holiday and sick pay as part of a new contract. | Delivery firm DPD, under scrutiny after work pressures were blamed for the death of one of its drivers, is offering its 9,000 drivers holiday and sick pay as part of a new contract. |
| DPD, which delivers for John Lewis and Marks and Spencer, says it is the first parcel carrier to offer such contracts. | DPD, which delivers for John Lewis and Marks and Spencer, says it is the first parcel carrier to offer such contracts. |
| In January, driver Don Lane, from Dorset, died after failing to attend hospital appointments for his diabetes. | |
| His widow said he had become terrified of taking time off. DPD denies this. | His widow said he had become terrified of taking time off. DPD denies this. |
| Mr Lane, 53, from Christchurch, died on 4 January after collapsing in December. | |
| Months earlier, DPD had fined him £150 for taking time off when he had a hospital appointment. His widow, Ruth, said her husband had missed numerous hospital appointments because of work pressures. | Months earlier, DPD had fined him £150 for taking time off when he had a hospital appointment. His widow, Ruth, said her husband had missed numerous hospital appointments because of work pressures. |
| The parcel courier is scrapping this so-called "breach charge" as part of its changes to working practices. | The parcel courier is scrapping this so-called "breach charge" as part of its changes to working practices. |
| DPD said it had begun the review into working practices months before Mr Lane's death. | DPD said it had begun the review into working practices months before Mr Lane's death. |
| 'Need to improve' | 'Need to improve' |
| Dwain McDonald, DPD's chief executive, said: "We recognise that we need to improve the way we work with our drivers. While the self-employed franchise scheme has benefited thousands of drivers over the past 20 years, it hasn't moved with the times and needs updating." | Dwain McDonald, DPD's chief executive, said: "We recognise that we need to improve the way we work with our drivers. While the self-employed franchise scheme has benefited thousands of drivers over the past 20 years, it hasn't moved with the times and needs updating." |
| He said he was continuing to consult DPD's drivers and would be paying for advisers to help them make the choice between staying self-employed or moving to the new contract. | He said he was continuing to consult DPD's drivers and would be paying for advisers to help them make the choice between staying self-employed or moving to the new contract. |
| More details would come later in the spring, he said. | More details would come later in the spring, he said. |
| The company is part of the growing "gig" economy, in which workers are typically deemed self-employed. | The company is part of the growing "gig" economy, in which workers are typically deemed self-employed. |
| In practice, say critics, many companies insist that people who have signed up to work for them must be available for as many hours as any full-time worker, while some impose fines for non-attendance. | In practice, say critics, many companies insist that people who have signed up to work for them must be available for as many hours as any full-time worker, while some impose fines for non-attendance. |
| Well-known firms in the gig economy include Uber, Deliveroo, and DPD's courier rivals including Hermes, UK Mail and Yodel. | Well-known firms in the gig economy include Uber, Deliveroo, and DPD's courier rivals including Hermes, UK Mail and Yodel. |
| Pressure from unions and other concerned parties prompted the government to appoint Matthew Taylor, a former Labour policy adviser to look into the gig economy. | Pressure from unions and other concerned parties prompted the government to appoint Matthew Taylor, a former Labour policy adviser to look into the gig economy. |