A future Labor government would introduce state laws to regulate the pay and conditions of food delivery riders and other online platform workers.

The Transport Workers Union will put a motion to this weekend's state Labor Party conference in Sydney for Chapter 6 of the NSW Industrial Relations Act to be amended to protect bicycle riders who deliver food and owner drivers who carry bread, milk and cream. The motion has been approved at ALP committee level which means it is likely to be supported.

A food delivery rider who has complained about being underpaid, and isn't protected under current laws. Credit:Louise Kennerley

Chapter 6 gives owner drivers who work as contractors and who are not classified as employees under the Commonwealth Fair Work Act rights to fair pay and conditions. Section 309 excludes protection of contract transport workers who deliver meals or bread, milk and cream. Under the TWU resolution, NSW Labor would simply remove those exclusions so that it would apply to them.

TWU national secretary, Tony Sheldon, said food delivery companies have denied workers rights to minimum rates of pay and protection against unfair dismissal.