French delivery riders secure higher wage as heatwave stops orders

On 10 July 2026 French food‑delivery platforms Uber Eats and Deliveroo signed an amendment to the 2023 collective agreement that raises the minimum hourly pay for independent couriers from €11.75 gross to €19, effective 1 September. The sector regulator ARPE hailed the deal as a “significant step” toward collective guarantees for platform workers. Union representatives welcomed the increase but continued to demand a mileage‑based pay model and better safety measures.

Against a backdrop of a severe heatwave, French authorities placed several departments under orange or red vigilance. In response, the two platforms announced a suspension of new orders between 14:00 and 18:00 in all red‑alert zones, citing the need to protect couriers working outdoors in temperatures up to 40 °C. The Minister of Labour had previously urged the companies to act. While the pause aims to safeguard health, unions argue that the loss of income further jeopardises already precarious earnings for roughly 130 000 delivery workers, many of whom are foreign‑born or undocumented.

The combined measures reflect ongoing tensions over gig‑worker rights, remuneration and safety in France’s rapidly growing on‑demand delivery sector.