Gig economy companies like to tout the flexibility and freedom they offer workers, but for the people finding work through companies like Instacart, Uber, DoorDash and Lyft, the economic and physical risks can outweigh the rewards. Contractors who are now considered front-line providers of essential services for their wealthier customers in the age of social distancing brought on […]
Tag Archives: Gig Work
DoorDash Doesn’t Know Which Restaurants Are Open, and Drivers Pay the Price
During the ongoing coronavirus pandemic many people sheltered indoors are turning to food delivery apps to have meals or groceries brought to their doorstep. But some drivers working for popular app DoorDash are making as little as just over $3 an hour, according to multiple DoorDash drivers. One reason some drivers are making so little money during the coronavirus […]
Delivery demand amid coronavirus prompts workers to walk out, disrupting operations
As grocery outlets and retailers across the country ramp up employment to keep up with demand during the coronavirus outbreak, they’re facing growing backlash from workers who say their lives are being put at risk. Instacart workers staged a walkout Monday, citing a list of demands including hazard pay, an extra $5 per order, and […]
Local delivery drivers feel impact of coronavirus as long wait times hurt ratings
CARMEL, Ind. — Delivery drivers feel the impacts of the coronavirus through circumstances beyond their control. Because restaurants are shorter-staffed these days, that means longer wait times for orders. “It’s been over at least an hour at some restaurants, especially in the Westfield/Carmel area,” Alyssa Bowen said. Bowen and her husband deliver for DoorDash full […]
The Delivery Workers Who Risk Their Health to Bring You Food
Chen Wei’s wife begged him to stop making restaurant deliveries because she feared he might contract the coronavirus from a customer. Lee Mengba, another delivery worker, wondered if the hand that reached out for the bag of medication from behind an apartment door on a recent run belonged to a quarantined patient. Adolfo Garcia tries […]
Delivery is the fastest-growing job industry in the US
The US is a delivery nation. The rise of e-commerce means more purchases are brought right to people’s doorstep than ever before, both at work and at home. The increase in online purchasing has led to an explosion in the number of people whose job involves delivery. From January 2018 to January 2020, the number […]
Coronavirus fears drive surge in deliveries, as firms scramble to keep up
As people frantically stock up to prepare for possible coronavirus home quarantines, some are outsourcing their panic buying, using delivery services like Postmates or Instacart for groceries, Amazon for a wide variety of goods and DoorDash or Uber Eats for restaurant meals. Whether delivery companies can keep up is another question. Amazon notified customers of […]
Driving in storm of coronavirus, U.S. gig workers face risks
From Uber and Lyft drivers to DoorDash and Caviar food deliverers, gig economy workers are at risk of a devastating blow from the coronavirus threat NEW YORK, March 4 (Thomson Reuters Foundation) – Uber driver Saibou Sidibe will roll down a window, offer a tissue and reach for hand sanitizer if a passenger sneezes or […]
The future of gig work could involve unions and co-ops
The classification of gig workers for companies like Uber, Lyft, Instacart, DoorDash and Postmates has long been a topic of debate. Since California worker-protection bill AB 5 became law, some companies have gone to great lengths to continue classifying workers as independent contractors. Uber and Postmates, for example, unsuccessfully sued to try to prevent the […]
Worker-owned co-ops are coming for the digital gig economy
A domestic cleaning worker in New York City faces a choice. She might decide to register on a platform like Handy or Taskrabbit, where she can accept jobs on a case-by-case basis. Having the flexibility to create her own schedule might compel her, but she might soon realize that 15% to 20% of the pay […]