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Around 80 Deliveroo riders staged a boycott on orders from Bristol’s Wagamama restaurants.

The workers refused to deliver food from the Japanese chain’s branches in the Clifton Triangle and Cabot Circus on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday last week.

The protest was sparked by anger over the length of time Wagamama staff allegedly take to prepare food for delivery.

Boycott organiser Joseph Nunes, 43, claims he and fellow riders often have to wait 25 minutes in Wagamama for orders to be ready – time for which they are not paid.

He said: “We all dread the waiting time at Wagamama. It is not fair on the riders.”

It comes after more than 100 Deliveroo riders took part in a strike on September 21, protesting their level of pay.

Mr Nunes told Bristol Live recent pay cuts have seen him make just £6 an hour, after moped maintenance, petrol and insurance costs are taken out. The current minimum wage for someone over 25 is £8.21.

The Brazilian says he has to work 12 hours a day to make a living and described the situation as “slavery”.

He criticised Wagamama and Deliveroo for the handling of deliveries from the restaurant. The 25-minute waiting times have reduced the number of trips riders can do each day and made it harder to make ends meet, he says.

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Mr Nunes added: “Most of Deliveroo’s scooter riders in Bristol boycotted Wagamama last week.

“When Deliveroo doesn’t find riders, it doesn’t send orders – so Wagamama lost business for sure.

“This is the way we have found to fight back.”

Mr Nunes revealed riders have resumed service from Wagamama, but could stage boycotts again if their concerns are not allayed.

He said: “Deliveroo told me it has talked to Wagamama about our complaints, but I’m sure nothing will change.”

More than 65,000 people have signed a petition for Deliveroo to increase pay after its minimum rate was allegedly halved in July.

A spokesman for the firm said: "Deliveroo works closely with our restaurant partners and the riders we work with to make sure we have an efficient and reliable service.

"Deliveroo has recently made changes to rider fees so riders are paid more for longer distance deliveries and wait times at restaurants are taken in to consideration when calculating how much riders are paid.”

Wagamama has been approached for comment.

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