A labor dispute arbitration body of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government has ordered the operator of the food delivery service Uber Eats to negotiate with its deliverers' labor union.

The union formed by some Uber Eats deliverers demanded improvements in working conditions after the operator unilaterally lowered compensation for delivery staff.

Officials with Japan's biggest trade union group say the coronavirus outbreak is causing a great deal of anxiety for workers. They say that in response to the growing number of inquiries they've been getting on the matter, they've set up a dedicated hotline to answer questions.

The officials say in recent weeks they've been receiving more and more calls, mainly from contract and part-time staff.