Dozens of delivery drivers for Dragonfly in Saskatoon say they were laid off after walking off the job Friday over concerns about falling pay and working conditions. Drivers who spoke with media Monday said about half of the roughly 122 drivers who went on strike have since been fired, some by email and others after being removed from a work WhatsApp group. “I have been fired on the same day without any notice. Many of my friends got fired on the same day without any notice,” said delivery driver Nandit Sherma. Drivers have been picketing outside Dragonfly’s warehouse on Jasper Avenue since Friday, saying they are refusing to work after learning of another pay decrease. Dragonfly, previously known as Intelcom, is a major third-party delivery partner for Amazon in Canada. It’s responsible for the final stage of package deliveries in cities across the country. Workers said Dragonfly contracts work through delivery “brokers,” who then hire drivers and take 15 per cent of each payment. Drivers are paid per package, with rates increasing for heavier parcels. As independent contractors, drivers are also responsible for providing their own vehicles and paying for fuel. “One driver may get like $300 a day if he does 200 packages. 200 packages is backbreaking,” delivery driver Sherin Wilson said. Wilson added the price paid per package has steadily decreased over the last six months. “We’ve been in a point where we can’t afford to work for this rate,” Wilson said. Drivers also allege they are expected to drive on highways and rural roads in dangerous winter conditions and often do not have time for washroom breaks because of tight delivery schedules. They say they are looking for fair wages and better working conditions. “We need [a] solution. We need respect. That’s only our demands,” Wilson said. In a statement to CTV News, Dragonfly said deliveries are handled by independent delivery companies responsible for their own drivers, including pay and employment practices. “Our priority remains ensuring continuity of service for consumers, and our vast network of delivery partners has allowed us to maintain delivery operations since Friday,” the statement read. Driver Guriqubal Singh said he believes the company is bringing in drivers from Regina and Winnipeg to deliver packages while local drivers are on strike. He estimated the warehouse delivers 36,000 packages a day. NDP labour critic Nathaniel Teed wrote to Labour Relations and Workplace Safety Minister Ken Cheveldayoff calling for an investigation into the drivers’ allegations. Teed pointed to drivers’ allegations that they can face financial penalties or termination if a package is lost or stolen, if a customer complains or if they decline a shift. “Workers are made to be on call seven days a week, often waking at 5 a.m. to check to see what their shift might be for that day. If they decline a shift, they are fired,” Teed wrote in the letter. Teed also called on the provincial government to consult worker representatives about whether new protections are needed for gig and precarious workers in Saskatchewan. Ministry reviewing the situation The ministry confirmed that it had received Teed’s letter and would be reviewing the information. Speaking to reporters in Regina on Monday, Cheveldayoff said he was made aware of the workers’ complaints over the weekend. “As Minister of Labour, I’m very concerned when there’s an allegation of any aspects of a workplace being unsafe,” he said. " It’s something that has come up in the past with so called gig workers — whether they’re considered employees or they’re considered contractors and there’s some debate around that. “We opened up the Saskatchewan Employment Act, and have had called for consultations on this.” Cheveldayoff said he was willing to meet with the drivers and provide them with guidance in navigating Occupational Health and Safety. At the same time, the minister said he wanted to hear from both sides of the issue. With files from Daniel Reech
