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Food delivery riders have marched in Sydney to demand UberEats, Deliveroo and Foodora provide pay increases and better working conditions to the many contractors darting from door to door around Australian cities.
Dozens of protesters voiced their concerns in Surry Hills about the lack of regulation surrounding rider pay, safety protections and benefits like sick pay and superannuation.
Riders carried placards reading "Deliverooted", "Fraudora" and "Stop uber-eating into our wages".
The food delivery companies have recently made changes which mean instead of receiving an hourly rate of pay, contractors are paid per job.
"I'm fed up with just how poor the conditions have got," rider Josh Kluger said.
"It was great in the beginning and everyone was being paid a decent rate but it's just fallen to $7 an hour, no guarantee."
Deliveroo rider Patrick Psotka said the public needed to realise they were an important part of the economy when it comes to eating at night.
"If you are trying to do this full-time it's a tough gig," he said.
"These companies have a lot of control over the riders and restaurants."
Mr Psotka is also calling for danger pay as almost every rider he has spoken to has been injured on the roads.
"I've been doored twice. It sort of comes with being on the road, the Sydney roads aren't the best for bikes.
"Maybe give us some benefits such as sick pay or danger pay when the roads are really dangerous, especially when it's raining."
Riders must be given basic health and safety standards, Unions NSW said.
"No-one should have to [ride] a bike in this city, [and get] hit and taken to the hospital and their employer says to them, make sure you don't tell anyone you work for us," Unions NSW secretary Mark Morey said.
"Why should technology be used to undermine conditions, to undermine safety, to undermine pay? It's a disgrace.
"These guys are being flogged by technology."
Unions NSW, Transport Workers Union are calling on the Federal Government to hold the delivery companies to account through regulation.
Deliveroo, Foodora and UberEats stand by their conditions, saying they provide flexibility for their contractors.
"Delivery partners tell us they choose Uber because of the flexibility the app provides in letting them earn money in hours that suit them and their families," Uber said in a statement.
"The Foodora model is part of the gig economy where flexibility and an autonomous workforce are the elements that make it unique, functional and appealing to workers," Foodora said.
Deliveroo said its riders earned above national minimum wage and were often offered minimum order offers and fee incentives to aid in maximising earnings.
"Further, the safety of our rider partners is absolutely core to our business, which is why Deliveroo provides WorkCover for all riders in Australia and has done so since the launch of the company."
The Federal Government says these workers in the "gig economy" are entitled to the same protections as everyone else, and laws are in place to deal with non-traditional employment relationships.