Foodpanda door-to-door delivery riders have been on strike in Myanmar since 16 March due to pay cuts without prior notice.

Resistance groups are urging the public to join the "Food Panda Strike" on 20 March to protest against the German company, which they claim is violating labour rights and have cut the wages of the riders.

Yangon People Strike Force, Octopus (Public Benefit Youth Organization), the ANTS Revolutionary Fund and other revolutionary groups have urged the public to join the strike.

“Workers are being oppressed. We must not stand for the oppressors, but stand up for the oppressed riders. That is why the public needs to boycott,” Yangon People Strike Force said in a statement.

Foodpanda is facing a strike due to pay cuts without prior notice and there has been public criticism.

"We are only asking for the wages we deserve. We had to ride our bicycles in both sunny and rainy times. I hope to see an increase in the rider fees as soon as possible,” a food panda rider from Yangon with two years of experience told Mizzima.

In the past, each delivery service fee was a minimum of more than 800 Kyat (US$0.40), said the Foodpanda rider. He added that the delivery service fee for a rider had now been reduced to more than 200 Kyat and 300 Kyat.

Riders are protesting without going to work and they demand the company to pay a basic minimum fare of 670 Kyat per route and an additional 150 Kyat per kilogramme.

A letter that was sent to the delivery men said, "From 7 am to 7:30 pm on 16 March, the panda rider system in some cities was miscalculated. Therefore, the company will recalculate the reduced fees of the delivery men and refill it in their regular wages.”

According to information received on the evening of 17 March, the company will hold a rider event with the Foodpanda riders in Mandalay to solve the problem on Saturday, 19 March, according to a telegram message sent to the riders.

Foodpanda’s riders have been on strike without going to work for two days over pay cuts.

Cyclists who join Foodpanda reportedly have to pay a deposit to obtain a position with the company.

Resistance groups are urging the people to stand up for the oppressed workers and not to ignore the injustice and to boycott the Food Panda company.

The German company began operating in Myanmar in 2019 with their main operations in Yangon and Mandalay.