The employment minister issued a stern warning to employment agencies supplying Bolt with food couriers, saying they should not "dare" fire workers striking over pay issues. 

In strongly worded comments on Monday, Byron Camilleri said he was aghast at reports that workers were working in precarious conditions and for minimal pay. 

“We are a country that takes pride in treating its workers well. Our country should not allow any employers to abuse the rights of the workers, irrespective of their nationality,” Camilleri told Times of Malta. 

“Let me be clear, nobody should think, even for a second, that they can fire these protesting workers and replace them with others willing to accept anything. We will be watching them,” Camilleri said, addressing the employment agencies. 

His comments come after some 345 food couriers protested and stopped accepting app orders after having their weekend delivery wages slashed.

Camilleri had already backed the striking workers and said they were right to speak up about their working conditions and rights. He also urged the couriers to join a union.

In January last year, the government put into effect the Wage Regulation Order, which was meant to guarantee couriers a minimum wage, overtime, double pay on rest days, sick, injury and vacation leave and an exemption from paying for equipment and fuel.

Yet, couriers told Times of Malta they were struggling to make ends meet after the platform slashed delivery wages, forcing them to "work twice as much to earn half as much" as they used to. 

Some said they work as much as 18 hours a day only to earn €3 per hour- ending up with just €700 per month, out of which they must pay rent, food, petrol, telephone bills, and taxes. 

Camilleri said the protesting couriers have been invited to a meeting with Jobsplus and the Department for Industrial and Employment Relations on Tuesday. 

He said DIER is responsible for law enforcement, along with Jobsplus, and said he has had discussions with both entities to strengthen their enforcement to ensure “no one” has their rights broken. 

“Whether they are Maltese or foreign because if we believe Maltese are not affected, we would be wrong,” he said. 

“We want to ensure everyone’s rights on this island are respected.”

He said in the weeks to come, there will be discussions on whether Malta needs more foreign workers to work as couriers and as cab drivers.

Speaking later in parliament, Camilleri said the allegations made by these workers on deterioration of their rights should be investigated.