A Rebel's Guide to the Gig Economy is a new podcast series by the Gig Economy Project which puts forward a radical, worker-orientated critique of the gig economy. We have been very fortunate that we have had the help of Marini Thorne, a Columbia University researcher on platform work, who has produced the series with us.We have released the first two episodes of the series. The first episode explains what the gig economy is and what we are hoping to achieve from the Rebel's Guide series. Episode 2 examines pay-per-task, the typical model of payment in the gig economy, excavating Karl Marx's critique of 'piece wages' to explain why pay-per-task is a mechanism for bosses to lower wages and lengthen the working day. In Episode 3, which will be out soon, we de-construct 'the algorithm', explaining that it's function in the gig economy is no more or less than a tool for carrying out management instructions, but one that accentuates the power imbalance between bosses and workers.We then move into the second section of the series, where we bust the myths of the gig economy propagated by those who benefit from selling workers the chimera that gig work equals freedom. Episode 4 takes on the idea that in the gig economy you can 'be your own boss'. Episode 5 challenges the frequently espoused notion that gig workers enjoy greater 'flexibility' in their lives than workers with employment contracts. Then we look at what the gig economy means for specific demographics of workers who have traditionally been disadvantaged in the standard employment market. In Episode 6 we dissect the argument of Anne Marie Slaughter, of think-tank 'New America', who has called the gig economy "a godsend" for women. In Episode 7 we refute the idea that the gig economy is a route out of marginalisation for ethnic minorities and migrants. Digital labour platforms re-produce and even deepen the discriminatory practices found in standard jobs.At this point we enter the final part of the series where we explore the power dynamics in the gig economy. Episode 8 looks at how big digital labour platforms like Uber become so powerful, finding that a combination of venture capital, exploitative labour practices and political influence have given gig platforms' their potency. Episode 9 explains why, despite their power, the big platforms still struggle to turn a profit. The final two episodes look at what gig workers can do to transform their poor working conditions. Episode 10 challenges the notion that gig workers are 'the unorganisable', finding that building trade union power is possible and, in fact, the surest route for workers to improve their lot in the gig economy. Episode 11 thinks big about how gig workers could truly become their own bosses: by taking collective power over their data.This series brings together what we have learnt from years of reporting and researching about the gig economy. It has been produced with the aim of being accessible for everyone, but we think that even those of you who are regular readers of this newsletter can take something new from it. We hope it can be a useful educational resource for a section of the economy which remains shrouded in mystique and myth.The remaining nine episodes will be published across the rest of the month. You can access every episode as it comes out on Spotify, itunes, on the website, Twitter, Instagram or just wait for the latest batch in the newsletter each week. Happy listening!Ben Wray, Gig Economy Project co-ordinator
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Gig Economy news round-up |
- DELIVEROO FRANCE ABANDONS 'CONCEALED WORK' APPEAL: Deliveroo France abandoned its case on the first day of a Court of Appeal trial in Paris on Wednesday [5 June] over a criminal conviction for employment miss-classification in 2022. In doing so, Deliveroo France accepted that it has to pay a fine of €375,000. The 2022 conviction, where judges found that Deliveroo was guilty of “the offence of concealed work”, also handed out suspended prison sentences and fines to three of the company's senior management in France, the first time a food delivery company had faced a criminal sentence for bogus self-employment. Two of the Executives were also given five year bans on sitting on the board of any company. Despite Deliveroo giving up on its appeal, the company continues to hire its riders on a freelance basis. Deliveroo CEO Will Shu told investors in March shortly after the passing of the EU Platform Work Directive, which will establish a legal presumption of employment in the platform economy, that he did not believe Deliveroo would have to employ its riders in France because "national law will continue to determine final employment status decisions as is the case today." French President Emmanuel Macron is one of the leading opponents of employment status in the gig economy, with France the only member-state to vote against the passing of the Platform Work Directive at a crunch meeting on 11 March. Read more here.
- JUST EAT RIDERS IN HARTLEPOOL WIN QUICK VICTORY AFTER STRIKE: Food delivery couriers for Just Eat have had a 50p per order bonus re-instated by the company, after taking strike action on Friday [7 June]. The bonus was removed last week by the Dutch headquartered company, leading to anger among the riders in the town in north-east England. The IWGB union, which backed the strike, called on members of the public to support the strikers on their picket line outside KFC in Hartlepool marina yesterday morning. On Friday afternoon, the IWGB tweeted that: "After just one day of strike action, Just Eat have just contacted riders telling them the 50p per order bonus is being reinstated.
Direct action works." Just Eat employed many of its riders directly in the UK until it announced in March last year that it was moving to a fully self-employed model, a move aimed at lowering labour costs to better compete with its UK rivals, most importantly Deliveroo and Uber Eats.
- GETIR COULD RUN OUT OF CASH AS CLASH WITH INVESTORS INTENSIFIES: Turkish grocery delivery platform Getir faces the prospect of running out of cash by the end of the month if a conflict between the company's senior management and leading investors is not resolved. Abu Dhabi state investment fund Mubadala, the leading investor in the company, and G Squared, a venture capital fund, will not sanction a new funding package needed to keep the company liquid, unless Getir founder and co-owner Nazim Salur organises a shareholder meeting announcing leadership changes. The investors want Salur to no longer be in charge of company operations, while Derya Erdemli, the company's former chief strategy officer who was sacked by Salur recently because he was seen to share the position of the investors over Getir's strategy, must be re-instated. Getir announced last month that it was exiting all of its foreign markets, including the UK, Germany, Netherlands and the United States, and would only operate in its home nation of Turkey, a re-structuring which was financed by a cash injection from Mubadala and other investors. But even that major retreat has not been enough to quell investor anger at what is seen to be the company's mismanagement. Getir was valued at over €10 billion just two years ago, but it's attempt to dominate the grocery delivery market in the western world has foundered over high costs, falling demand and an increasingly unwillingness of investors to subsidise a loss-making enterprise in the context of rising interest rates. Read more here.
- SPAIN'S CONSTITUTIONAL COURT FINDS MADRID'S VTC LAW IS LEGAL: The Constitutional Court in Spain found that the Community of Madrid's controversial law to regulate ridehail platforms like Uber and Bolt, which was passed in June 2022, is legal. The VTC law was legally contested by Taxi Project, an advocacy organisation for taxis in Spain, as well as the Professional Taxi Association of Madrid and more than 50 opposition members of the regional parliament in the Spanish capital, who claimed that the law breached the principle of municipal autonomy, the constitution and the principle of equality. The judges found unanimously that this was not the case. In 2022 all of Spain's autonomous communities had to introduce their own laws to regulate VTCs or else their licences would be suspended. Madrid's law is deemed to be the most pro-Uber in all of the autonomous communities, sparking massive protests by taxi drivers. The law, known as the 'Uber Ayuso law' by its critics as the architect of the law is right-wing Community of Madrid President Isabel Díaz Ayuso, places no restrictions on the operations of VTCs in the Community of Madrid as long as bookings are made in advance and the driver has a licence. The law also includes no sanctioning regime for VTC drivers operating without a license, a move which Carlos Rodríguez, vice-president of Taxi Project, said means "thousands of Uber and Cabify vehicles circulate illegally". Read more here.
- UBER GRANTED LICENCE IN ABERDEEN DESPITE TAXI DRIVER FURY: Uber has been granted a licence in the Scottish city of Aberdeen, despite furious protests from taxi drivers. Uber was previously granted a licence to operate in the north-eastern city in 2018, but surrendered it. Uber's new move is part of a plan to expand into smaller cities in the UK, and it plans to hire around 50 drivers in Aberdeen initially. Aberdeen City Council held a public hearing on the licence request on Wednesday [5 June], with taxi drivers shouting their protests from the public galleries. Taxi bosses in the city spoke against Uber's licence request, stating that the company's use of surge pricing at times of peak demand would inflate fares for consumers. An Uber representative argued that the company's use of "dynamic pricing" means that drivers' would get higher pay when working at times of high demand, which would also expand taxi availability at peak times. One survey found that over 90% of residents backed Uber getting the license, as the city battles urban transport problems. Taxi representatives said they were being unfairly blamed for problems with urban transport, when in fact they were caused by the cutting of night buses. Read more here.
Have we missed something important? You can help keep us informed about what's going in the gig economy in Europe by e-mailing GEP@BraveNewEurope.com. |
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Ep 2: Why are gig workers paid per task?
In this second episode, Ben Wray and Marini Thorne look at the payment model in the gig economy, where workers are not paid for their whole time at work but only the time it takes to complete a task. They find that pay-per-task, which used to be known as ‘piece wages’, is a lever for lengthening the working day and lowering wages.
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Participation through platform work?
A new paper by Minor Kontor researchers Anna-Elisabeth Hampel, Franziska Loschert and Maria Ebenhöh examines social participation and platform work.
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- Fairwork Spain will present their 2024 ratings of digital labour platforms in a report launch on June 13 at 10 am CET. It is a hybrid event that will be held in Madrid at Calle Fernández de la Hoz, 12 (limited capacity). Register in-person or online here. - Friedrich Ebert Stiftung's Competence Centre on the Future of Work is launching a new study on 'Care Platforms: impacts and challenges from a trade union perspective' at a webinar on 24 June, 1pm CET. Click here for full details and to register.
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The Gig Economy Project is a media network for gig workers and we welcome contributions from workers, writers, academics, activists - anyone who wants to stand up for workers' rights in the gig economy.
If you would like to write for the site, discuss arranging an interview with GEP, or simply have information about developments in the gig economy in Europe you think we should be aware of, get in touch.
Contact project co-ordinator Ben Wray at GEP@BraveNewEurope.com or send a direct message to the Twitter: @project_gig.
And if you like the Gig Economy Project weekly newsletter, why not get your friends and colleagues to subscribe? Here's the link.
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