Meituan joined China's first multi-platform collective bargaining agreement for delivery riders in Yichang
Oct 22, 2026On October 22, 2026, Meituan joined rivals Taobao Flash Purchase (Alibaba), JD.com, and SF Express in Hubei province's first multi-platform collective negotiation covering delivery riders in Yichang, mediated by local authorities. The platforms agreed to a minimum hourly wage floor with full income and holiday-pay guarantees, a 'post-meal dispatch' mode intended to reduce delivery-time pressure, optimized dispatch algorithms and insurance-claim rules, protected rest periods with anti-fatigue measures, and pension-insurance subsidies and hardship assistance for riders. The agreement came as Chinese regulators circulated draft national rules (open for comment through November 8, 2026) that would mandate rest breaks, monthly pay, holiday-pay premiums, and human review of account suspensions for the country's roughly 84 million gig workers; Meituan said it would keep expanding rider income transparency, algorithm governance, and consultation mechanisms in line with the draft rules.