FOOD couriers in Sheffield are escalating their long-running strike action against pay cuts by blockading fast-food outlets in the city.

Sixty strikers employed by Stuart Delivery for Just Eat blockaded a branch of McDonald’s in the city yesterday, shutting down orders for 45 minutes, and staged a rally.

The members of IWGB union launched strike action on December 6 against savage pay cuts, which they say leaves them with less than the statutory minimum wage — Stuart Delivery has cut the minimum delivery pay by 24 per cent, from £4.50 to £3.40, following a gradual decline in pay and conditions, the IWGB said.

The strike has won support in Sheffield and beyond, including a Commons motion signed by nine MPs.

Paul Blomfield, Labour MP for Sheffield Central, told the rally: “You have collectively achieved an amazing feat: the UK’s longest continuous gig-economy strike, and you should all be proud of the resilience you’ve shown.

“You have shown Stuart and other gig economy employers that you can, and you will, organise through unions to make sure that you get fair pay for a fair day’s work.”

IWGB president Alex Marshall said: “These workers have been on strike for 40 days now and Stuart Delivery’s response so far has been to either gaslight or ignore their perfectly reasonable requests.

“This action marks an escalation from the workers as they target clients like McDonalds who are complicit in the exploitation. 

“The workers are more united and determined than ever, and will not give up until they reverse the cuts and win the pay rise they deserve.”

Stuart was invited to comment.