The General Workers’ Union (GWU) and the Malta Delivery Fleet Operators Association (MDFOA) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in December 2025.
The MoU paves the way for a full collective agreement covering almost all food delivery couriers in the country, most of whom work for Wolt or Bolt.
All food delivery couriers in the country are hired via intermediaries and 99% are migrants. Around 400 of the riders, about one-third of those in the country, are already members of GWU.
The final agreement with MDFOA, which works with Wolt and Bolt and represents almost all food delivery sub-contractors, is expected to include that the riders will be a member of the union automatically, which is aimed at getting round the problem of the fact that migrant riders work in the country on a single work permit and then leave, making retention a problem.
The agreement will also include a basic wage paid every month, overtime, sick pay, and contracts that last the time of the single work permit. Protective clothing will be paid for by the intermediaries and they can have use of a mobile free of charge.
The agreement has been backed by the Ministry for Home Affairs, Security and Employment and the Secretariat for Social Dialogue, with Employment Minister Byron Camilleri describing it as a “positive step”.
“We will continue to stress that in our country there is no room for any abuse and that we have a level playing field between all workers,” he said. “We will remain vigilant.”
GWU Deputy Secretary General Kevin Camilleri said of the MoU: “There are three pillars in society: government, employers, and trade unions. We sat down together to make history.
“This MOU shows that when employers, trade unions, and government work together, we can move mountains.”