Heatwaves Spark Delivery Riders Strike Across Italy

Mon Sep 14 2026 09:54:01 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

Italian food‑delivery riders in Milan, Florence and Bologna walk out over heat‑related work conditions, demanding better protection and fair wages.

Riders of Glovo and Deliveroo in Italy walked out this week, citing lack of safe working conditions during extreme heat. In Milan, city officials have temporarily limited deliveries in the hottest hours, yet union representatives decry the move as insufficient. The strike draws attention to growing concerns across Europe about workers’ health risks during record‑setting summers. Local unions are pressing employers and authorities for solutions that safeguard both wages and well‑being.

Heatwaves Spark Delivery Riders Strike Across Italy

Delivery riders are striking in several Italian cities, calling for better working conditions amid an escalating summer heatwave.

In the capital, Milan’s municipal council will limit bike‑based delivery operations between 12:30 and 16:00 until 23 September, but riders from Glovo and Deliveroo say the restriction is not enough to protect their wages and health. The unions behind the protest are demanding that companies provide water, rest breaks, and on‑site cooling solutions, striking in solidarity with thousands of workers exposed to heat stress across Europe.

The strike in Bologna features riders shutting down their delivery apps during the day and gathering in the city centre, while in Florence workers plan a brief cessation of deliveries amid expectations of temperatures reaching 40 °C. Police resources have been mobilised to keep traffic flowing during the closures.

The unions’ demands echo similar labour protests elsewhere. In Andalusia, Spain, a Glovo rider union warned that the company's summer protocol was inadequate at temperatures approaching 45 °C. French teachers’ unions urged strikes to protect classroom conditions, and schools across the country have adjusted timetables or closed entirely under record heat.

European Trade Union Institute research points to 130 million workers annually facing heat‑related stress, underlining the urgency of legislative protection for vulnerable occupations. Meetings are scheduled next week between union officials and the Labour Ministry in Rome to discuss possible safety nets for affected workers.

While JustEat has stated that its riders are not participating in the Italian strikes, it remains open to negotiations aimed at protecting staff during extreme weather. The strike is a wake‑up call across the continent on the intersection of climate change and labour rights, prompting law makers to reassess workplace safety regulations in the context of ever‑hotter summers.