Food delivery firms under scrutiny as new Spain law kicks in

A new law requiring food delivery companies in Spain to hire delivery riders and drivers as employees rather than freelance contractors has gone into effect

MADRID -- A new law requiring food delivery companies in Spain to hire delivery riders and drivers as employees rather than freelance contractors took effect Thursday with labor unions urging close monitoring and inspections to enforce it. Spain's Trade Union Confederation said the so-called Riders Law would “put an end to the labor fraud that workers in this sector have suffered for too long.." The confederation, known by its Spanish acronym CCOO, said the labor ministry and inspectors should ensure compliance with the law through monitoring, evaluation and reporting. The law classifies food delivery riders as employees of the digital platforms they work for, not self-employed. It covers an estimated 30,000 workers. Legislation approved in May also requires companies such as Spain's Glovo and America's Uber Eats to hand over to worker legal representatives information about how their algorithms and artificial intelligence systems function in assigning jobs and assessing performance.