Kiet came to Australia to study English, but is just as likely to be seen dashing from one of the bustling restaurants in Sydney’s Chinatown to another delivery.
Working as a food courier is a flexible job for the Malaysian student, but it could hardly be described as rewarding: long wait times between deliveries with a base pay he says starts at $6 per order means a full day’s work can net him less than $150 - below minimum wage.
“Sometimes I have to wait for one or two hours,” he tells SBS News, adding that at other times he was forced to take dangerous risks riding his bike on busy roads.
“I don’t have any insurance. So if something happens, I can’t make a claim. This job is really dangerous.”
Kiet delivers orders made through Sydney Delivery, one of the five city-based food delivery apps for businesses operating under the umbrella company Australian Delivery United Group, which is also known as EASI.
Boasting 200,000 app downloads, EASI motorised bike riders in their distinctive yellow uniforms - dubbed the “Chinese UberEATS” in online forums - are an increasingly common sight in Australian inner cities alongside bigger players UberEATS and Deliveroo.
Kiet is a delivery rider for Easi. Source: SBS
In June, the Fair Work Ombudsman launched legal action against Berlin-based Foodora, accusing the company of sham contracting resulting in the underpayment of workers.
The ACCC has separately launched an investigation into UberEATS’ conduct and contract terms.
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