This is yet another proof of a delivery platform. But it smells of novelty because it’s the first time he’s questioning a company that is now 100% controlled by a public group. Before the Paris court, on 15, 16, 22 and 23 September, the Stuart company, a branch of La Poste with headquarters in six countries and 125 cities, and its former manager, Benjamin Chemla, had to answer for the facts of occult work in France. Mr. Chemla’s former partner, Clément Benoît, founder of the now defunct Resto In meal delivery platform, also appeared.
Stuart is suspected of having maintained a working relationship with his couriers when they were officially self-employed. The facts date back to 2015 and 2016. At the time, Mr. Chemla launched Stuart with the hope of “conquer Europe” offering to small merchants to deliver meals as packages to their customers, in the face of strong competition from the giant Amazon. In any case, this is the story told by the defendants in court.
At the hearing, Mr. Chemla wishes to stand out from platforms such as Deliveroo, who was sentenced in July for similar acts of covert work. “Stuart has nothing to do with this type of platform”, ensures the Thirties. Stuart is ” different “he insists, because it is “A French model” and, unlike platforms that connect an individual and a delivery man, Stuart connects “A principal who is none other than Franprix or Pizza Hut, and a professional who wants to be delivered “.
A “free” model mined
During the proceedings, the defendants tried to defend the technological nature of the platform, “a computer transmission tool” which guarantees the independence of the deliverers thanks to the modality ” free ” of the application, which allows self-employed entrepreneurs to choose their own commercial area and their own timetables.
A demonstration that did not seem to convince the court. According to the testimonies of the couriers read at the hearing, Stuart would in fact appear as the main orderer of the delivery men: call to order following delivery delays, account deactivation in case of repeated refusal of the trip, training sessions provided in view of inculcating a ” behavior ” to adopt…
One of the messengers, who still works for the platform, came to testify at the hearing. He specifically mentioned the traffic directives or even the cancellation of tenders imposed by the platform. His story undermined the model ” free “ behind which Mr. Chemla has taken refuge: the courier must in fact honor two thirds of the races which are proposed to him under penalty of receiving a warning, and disconnecting from the network after two warnings.
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