The platform's vice president of finance and strategies states that the government needs to continue debating the topic in 2024
The vice president of finance and strategies at iFood, Diego Barretostands against the regulation of delivery people in the same way as the CLT (Consolidation of Labor Laws) – as defended by the president’s government Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT). In an interview with Entrepreneurial Powerhe said that workers would return to working exclusively in restaurants if formalization takes place.
Currently, there are platform workers (who deliver to several restaurants with direct links to the app). Establishments can also have their own establishments, but which do not have a direct link with the platform.
iFood defends a kind of middle ground between the proposals. According to Diego, the company is able to offer some benefits and assistance to workers, but cannot offer social security for legal reasons. “You cannot, by law, in Brazil, deposit money in the name of a third party for social security purposes”he declared.
The solution, in the executive's view, would be to allow the company to pay retirement. “iFood supports the creation of a Social Security system with a company contributing”he said.
Watch (14min47s):
President Lula created a working group in May 2023 to debate formalization. O iFood participated in the discussions. Diego said that there was no consensus on a public measure for the issue.
“We participate in all meetings [do grupo de trabalho]. Let us prove all the data. We have our opinions. We have negotiated and made some of them more flexible, but a consensus has not yet been reached”, he spoke. The committee may extend to 2024, but this depends on the federal government. Diego argues that discussions should be resumed.
The members' initial suggestion is the payment of R$30 per hour worked for platform drivers. The agreement also establishes a Social Security contribution rate of around 20% for companies and 7.5% for drivers.
In the case of employees, the amount will be charged on 25% of earnings. The numbers were sent to Power360 for the Amobitec (Brazilian Mobility and Technology Association).
According to iFood released In July, the average salary for a delivery driver is R$23 per hour. The numbers vary for who works:
- 20 hours per week with 30% idle time – R$807;
- 20 hours a week without idleness – R$ 1,335;
- 40 hours a week with 30% idleness – R$ 1,980;
- 40 hours a week without idleness – R$3,039.
According to the executive, 65% of delivery people are from the restaurant itself.
During his 2022 electoral campaign and throughout his term in 2023, Lula criticized the current framework for app workers several times. Overall, he says that workers work in precarious conditions.
The objective of the PT's management is to put the topic under discussion in Congress based on the considerations of the working group.
Read more government statements:
SALES, MARKETING AND PANDEMIC
Asked about what to expect from iFood in 2024, Diego replied that the brand will form a partnership with “one that is considered the biggest event on Brazilian television”. He said that, for contractual reasons, he could not say what the name of the program was. Projects must also include music and cultural events in general.
The brand also signed an agreement with the actress and presenter Tata Werneck for a series of advertisements that began airing in December 2023. The executive defines the artist as follows: “A person who represents a large measure of our energetic, young way of being”.
Watch the interview (XXminYYs):
(video)
Regarding the pandemic, Diego said that social isolation has somewhat accelerated people's familiarity with the delivery platform.
“People had to use the service due to social distancing issues and this undoubtedly accelerated the habit, accelerated people to change their behavior. But it is not a crucial factor that puts us where we are today.”
iFood makes around 80 million orders per month and has 50 million customers. Diego believes there is room for expansion of the brand. One of the strategies to increase the number of users is to offer discount coupons, which in 2024 should have more presence in supermarket sales.
WORKER PROFILE
Brazil has 1.6 million workers per application, divided between couriers on delivery platforms delivery (386 thousand) and drivers of apps of rides (1.27 million). The numbers are from a survey carried out by Cebrap (Brazilian Center for Analysis and Planning) released in April.
The survey estimated that the majority (97%) of workers are men. Only 3%, women. Here's the complete of the study (6 MB).
Cebrap analyzed the profile of delivery people and drivers on issues related to race and education, for example. Here is what the stratification looked like for each of the sectors:
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