Outrage erupts over China's gig economy after delivery man's death

A 55-year-old Chinese delivery man died while napping on his motorbike after working exhausting 18-hour shifts in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province in China, reported 24NewsHD TV channel on Saturday. 

This tragedy has renewed attention on the working conditions and welfare of delivery riders in China. 

The death of Yuan, brought to public attention through a widely circulated video on September 6, has ignited a debate on the relentless pressure delivery workers face daily.

The 'South China Morning Post' reported that the Sept 6 incident came to light via a viral video showing the man, known as Yuan, who had reportedly been exhausted after fulfilling multiple orders.

According to witnesses, Yuan had started his shift at 9pm on Sept 5 and was discovered unresponsive by a fellow rider at 1am.

An insider had told Zonglan News that Yuan was known for his strong work ethic, earning him the nickname "Order King."

According to him, Yuan typically made between 500 and 600 yuan (RM301 to US$361) daily, and could earn over 700 yuan (RM421) on rainy days when demand surged."He would often work until 3am, then wake up at 6am to start again. When he was tired, he would take a short nap on his bike, ready to jump back into work as soon as an order came in," the person said.

A colleague, known as Zhao Hua, revealed to Dingduan News that just a month before his death, Yuan had fractured his leg in a traffic accident during a delivery and he rested for only 10 days before returning to work.

Zhao said Yuan had relocated from Hubei province to Hangzhou to support his 16-year-old son, who was studying there. He also has an elder son who is married with children.

On Sept 9, the Xianlin Sub-district Office in Yuhang district issued an official statement confirming Yuan's death.

"The food delivery platform, the insurance company, and the family have reached an agreement.

"Follow-up arrangements are being carried out in an orderly manner," it said.

The incident has sparked widespread outrage on Chinese social media platforms, with many questioning the conditions faced by delivery workers.

China's food delivery industry has more than 10 million delivery riders nationwide.

Meituan and Ele. me, the two largest platforms, employ 7.45 million and 4 million active riders, respectively.

A researcher at the Institute of Journalism and Communication, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, Sun Ping, found there was a significant increase in working hours for full-time riders from 2018 to 2021.

In 2018, about 36.5 percent of riders worked more than 10 hours daily, rising to about 62.6 percent in 2021.