Wolt to start recruiting food couriers as employees – the majority will continue working as entrepreneurs. Photo: Markku Ulander / Lehtikuva
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Delivery company Wolt will begin employing couriers in Finland for the first time, shifting from its long-standing contractor-only model. The company plans to recruit about 100 employee couriers by the end of the year while continuing to operate its existing freelance system for thousands of others.
The pilot programme, announced on Monday, follows years of debate over employment conditions in the platform economy. Wolt said the initiative responds to the preferences of couriers who seek greater stability while keeping the option of self-employment for those who value independence.
“Most couriers want to work as entrepreneurs and decide when and how much they work,” said Joel Järvinen, Wolt’s Chief Operating Officer for Northern Europe. “A small part would rather be employees. This solution meets both needs. It’s new for us, for couriers, and for regulators, so there’s much to learn.”
Under the new employment model, couriers will be paid based on completed deliveries, earning an average of €14 per hour during active delivery time. Freelance couriers currently invoice Wolt around €20 to €21 per hour, but they cover their own insurance and pension costs. Wolt will pay social contributions, pension fees, and sick leave for the employed couriers.
Employee couriers will work under supervision, attend regular meetings with their managers, and wear company-issued uniforms. They will not be allowed to use substitutes or work for other delivery platforms simultaneously. The company will provide safety gear, such as helmets and reflective vests, and pay compensation for training and meetings.
Recruitment for the new positions will begin in October, with the first employees expected to start by the end of the year. Wolt also plans to hire managerial and administrative staff to oversee the pilot.
The company said it wants clearer national rules on platform work, calling current regulations inconsistent and a risk to innovation. “Finland needs predictable legislation that allows people to work on digital platforms either as employees or as entrepreneurs, depending on how the work is organised,” said Olli Koski, Wolt’s Head of Public Policy for the Nordics. He added that the coming implementation of the EU Platform Work Directive could help define fairer standards.
Wolt also said it hopes to restart talks with the Service Union United (PAM) to agree on a collective bargaining framework for couriers. Negotiations between the two parties broke off last December after disagreements over pay.
Union representatives, however, reacted critically to Wolt’s announcement. Annika Rönni-Sällinen, PAM’s chair, accused the company of ignoring a ruling by Finland’s Supreme Administrative Court (KHO), which decided in May that food couriers must be classified as employees rather than self-employed contractors.
“It’s positive that Wolt is hiring couriers as employees, but this only applies to about 100 people,” Rönni-Sällinen said. “The remaining 98 percent, around 6,000 couriers, will still be left without the protections of employment. The court’s ruling must apply to all Wolt couriers, otherwise this looks like whitewashing.”
The union said the new hires would gain rights unavailable to freelancers, including paid sick leave, holiday pay, and protection against dismissal. “It’s unfair that only a small minority will have these basic rights, while the rest continue in uncertainty,” said Papy Nkunda, head of PAM Couriers Finland.
Juha Ojala, PAM’s head of contracts, said the union remains open to negotiations if Wolt intends to follow Finnish labour law. “We are ready to talk if the company genuinely wants to improve income and security for workers,” Ojala said. “But the only acceptable basis is a collective agreement for employed couriers. We will not sign anything that contradicts the court’s decision.”
Ojala dismissed Wolt’s claims about unclear regulation. “The situation is clear. The Supreme Administrative Court has ruled, and that decision must now be respected,” he said. “Wolt’s own plan proves that employment is a suitable model for courier work.”
Wolt operates in 25 countries and employs about 10,000 couriers in Finland alone, with nearly 20,000 people waiting to join the platform. The company’s move to create employment contracts comes as regulators across Europe tighten rules on platform work, following years of disputes over the classification of gig workers.
HT
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Source: www.helsinkitimes.fi
