Wolt terminates contract of food delivery driver Ndubueze S. Ugochukwu in Trondheim after delivery incident

Ndubueze S. Ugochukwu, known as Ugo, has been delivering food for Wolt in Trondheim for over three years and has received positive feedback on his performance. However, on September 29, 2023, he encountered an issue while delivering an order. Unable to locate the entrance to the customer’s building, Ugo asked for assistance, leading to dissatisfaction from the customer. Consequently, Wolt terminated his contract immediately.

Ugo realized he was on the wrong side of the building; the entrance was actually at the back. After requesting help, he was told it was his responsibility to find the entrance. Despite eventually handing the food over to the customer, Ugo was later informed that his account had been deactivated. He expressed concern about the common fear among workers regarding automatic contract termination.

Days after the incident, Ugo received an email from Wolt officially terminating his contract, leaving him feeling disappointed and frustrated. His union, Fellesforbundet, has since initiated legal action against Wolt for what they describe as inadequate treatment. The union argues that Ugo should have had stable employment, emphasizing that he has always been a reliable driver for Wolt.

Wolt provided a lengthy list of 47 complaints against Ugo, some dated the same day as the contract termination. Ugo dismissed these claims as false, asserting that he had previously only received commendations from the company.

Wolt maintains that their business model relies on drivers being independent contractors, a setup they argue provides flexibility. However, Ugo and Fellesforbundet claim this structure denies essential employment rights and benefits, such as sick pay and pensions. As Ugo hopes to resolve the situation and regain his position, Wolt states that they have mechanisms for addressing complaints before contract termination.