We return to the conversation with Julia, who works as a delivery girl in Poznań. We published the first part of our conversation a few days ago (here). Now we ask about relations with other Employees and stereotypes towards women.
You can also find the entire interview in our brochure “This is what exploitation looks like”, in which we publish conversations with people working as Delivery Girls for Platforms in various cities.
You mention groups on Telegram and FB. And what are contacts with Delivery Girls like in real life?
In real life, they rarely talk to me. Many are also of a different nationality than Polish. I can communicate in English, but Ukrainian is definitely worse. I have never encountered verbal or physical aggression in real life in connection with my work. I have very good contact with the ambassador and the supervisor of Poznań. It was the ambassador who suggested that I give you an interview. I also meet women who work on various applications. There are definitely fewer of them, that’s true, but I have the impression that there are more and more of them every year. I could be wrong, maybe the statistical data differs.
Why do you think this profession is so dominated by men?
Because of the stereotype that women can’t drive. I think that’s one of the reasons. My friends, when they drive with me somewhere, are not afraid. Quite the opposite. They know that I will keep my cool in different situations. Driving in the city center and in general around Poznań has taught me patience. Sometimes I watch couriers who drive fast and carelessly. I try to drive according to the rules because I don’t want to pay fines.
Another reason is the weight of orders, because a woman can only carry so much. If there is an order that is a bit heavier and I can’t share it with another courier, then I simply take it. It’s not easy at times, but that’s the job. There are good and bad days in every job.
I honestly don’t know any other reasons why this profession is dominated by men. I think that working in trade, where I worked, as I mentioned, is physically harder than delivery.
And have you come across comments like: a woman in Delivery? I wonder how she copes with heavy orders…
Today I read about it on Telegram and I’ll say this: during the whole day I can have 4 floors without a lift several times, and sometimes zero times. When it comes to shopping, if it meets the conditions, I divide it between another courier, so as not to ruin my health. I also tell other men about it: divide it! Because everyone has one healthy back or arms. But most often I see looks. I don’t know if they are negative or positive. Sometimes I encountered couriers “pushing me away” because they thought I was an ordinary customer in a restaurant. That’s why I started wearing a company cap or sweatshirt to stand out. I had one situation when another courier proposed a date to me, I didn’t accept, but I admire that he asked me outright. But there were also situations when I advised others what to do, etc., or gave tips. I still do that to this day. I’m quite active on Telegram. I like helping.
The European Union has passed the Platform Work Directive, which is to be implemented in Poland within two years. What do you think about it?
I’ve read about it. At the moment I can’t say how big an impact it will have. If cooperation with applications doesn’t go the way I want or simply doesn’t have a positive effect on me, then our paths will simply diverge. Many people in this industry talk a lot and complain about how bad it is on this and that platform, etc., and still work there despite everything. There are people who like the way it is now, and there will also be people who will like the conditions we will soon encounter. They haven’t been implemented in our country yet, so I can’t say whether it will really be a good change.
Finally, a practical question: If you had to give some advice to people who are just starting out as a Delivery Driver, what would you tell them? What should they pay attention to and what should they avoid?
Who asks does not make mistakes – ask people who have experience. Don’t be afraid to ask questions, even the most obvious ones. Everyone started from scratch.
Don’t always be guided by pins on the map when it comes to the customer’s address. It is often in a different place than in reality. I recommend Yanosik maps, they are better than Google Maps in my opinion.
Be polite to employees of restaurants or other establishments. They are also people. Of course, there are rude people, but I think that calmness and composure are important in this job.
If you have a bad day, don’t give up. There are also better moments. However, everyone decides for themselves whether this is a good job or not.
And drink water