Huolala, the platform economy company that links up drivers and vehicles with customers needing goods transported, made some adjustments to its policies.
Freight drivers for Huolala (Lalamove) launched a strike for three consecutive days in November in various parts of China. After the protests, the drivers in Guangzhou submitted a list of sixteen concrete demands related to recent corporate changes that have reduced drivers’ pay by as much as 20 percent. Huolala and other logistics companies were summoned by the Ministry of Transport and asked to change their cost-cutting practices in favour of workers. This is one step forward, but there is still a long way to go to satisfy drivers.
In mainland China, Huolala is estimated to operate in about 350 cities with 660,000 monthly active drivers. They have formed a sectoral identity that crosses regions of China, calling each other 卡友 (kayou), meaning fellow truck driver. The drivers are also more likely than other platform workers to travel among provinces. Yet, as platform workers, drivers are considered independent contractors, rather than formal employees covered by China’s labour laws, including minimum wage and maximum working hours laws.
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