- Sebastian Galassi, 26 years old, was a delivery rider in Florence for Spanish startup Glovo.
- On October 1, his moped collided and crushed with a Land Rover SUV, while he was on shift at Glovo.
- His family found an email from Glovo the following day, firing him. Glovo claims it was a mistake.
This is an edited and translated version ArticleThis originally appeared October 5, 2022.
Sebastian Galassi, a 26-year-old graphic designer student, was killed in an accident that saw his moped collide with a Land Rover SUV. He was making late-night deliveries for Glovo, a Spanish delivery company.
Galassi’s family found out the next day. an emailGalassi was informed that he had been terminated from the company for not complying with the terms of his position.
The email states that Glovo’s goal “is to provide an optimal experience” for customers, partners, and couriers. It is sometimes necessary for Glovo to take corrective action when one of its users acts inappropriately in order to maintain a fair and healthy platform. We regret to inform that your account was deactivated due to non-compliance of the terms and conditions.
Galassi’s family shared the email. It was an automated reply that riders get if they miss delivery times. Glovo however claimed that it was a mistake.
Insider was told by a Glovo spokesperson: “We deeply regretted the death of Sebastian Galassi, our delivery driver, in the tragic circumstances of a traffic accident in Florence. To support his family during this difficult time, we are in constant communication.
“An automatic message was sent to his family when the account was suspended to protect his identity. We regret the incident and extend our full support to the family. Glovo will do all it can to support them in this difficult time,” said the spokesperson.
Glovo representatives called Galassi’s relatives to apologize and offer to pay for some of the funeral expenses, according to a report. La Stampa.
Confederazione Generale Italiana del Lavoro or CGIL is a national union in Italy. It organized a 24-hour strike of delivery drivers in Florence on Oct 5 as a response to Galassi’s death. The union called it “unspeakable.”
The CGIL also published a StatementOn October 4, the delivery driver’s working conditions were criticized. It stated: “The safety situation within this profession is intolerable. It is imperative to eliminate the factors that contribute to this number of accidents: the pressure to deliver and get more, the intensive piecework and the absence of specific sanctions for platforms.
Participants in the strikes carried signs that read “you cannot die to get a delivery” and “my life matters more than a sandwich.” La Repubblica reported.
Dario Nardella (the mayor of Florence) supported the strike with a strong statement on his website Facebook account:
The post stated that Glovo’s apology wasn’t enough. This problem is even more serious. The problem is more serious. If an algorithm sends an e-mail to fire Sebastian, a boy who tragically died a few hours before, it’s a sign that something is wrong with the system.
He said, “It’s a model that exploits workers with automatic mechanisms without any ethical reference points.”
