Italian food‑delivery riders strike over extreme heat in Milan, Florence and Bologna

On 15 July 2026 riders for the food‑delivery platforms Glovo and Deliveroo staged coordinated strikes in Milan, Florence, Bologna and other Italian cities to protest working conditions during a severe heatwave. Municipal ordinances in several regions call for a suspension of outdoor work during the hottest hours (typically 12:30‑16:00) when a red‑heat alert is in force. The riders say the platforms interpret the rules loosely, offering only water, sunscreen and online training while continuing to assign orders, leaving workers to choose between health risks and loss of income.

The unions Nidil‑CGIL and other labour organisations demand that the compulsory service suspensions be fully compensated, that riders receive a guaranteed wage or social‑security benefits, and that the sector move away from per‑delivery (“cottimo”) pay to an hourly or minimum‑wage model. They also call for the recognition of riders as employees, access to unemployment benefits and other social safeguards. A meeting with the Ministry of Labour is scheduled for 16 July to discuss extending pandemic‑style “heat‑wave” safety nets to gig workers.

Just Eat riders, who are largely employed under contracts with a guaranteed hourly rate, are not joining the strike. The protests include rallies in city squares and bike‑rides through historic streets, highlighting both the immediate health dangers and the broader precarity of gig‑economy labour.