LABOR »» WORKING CONDITIONS »» GIG ECONOMY »» Apr 12, 2021

Uber has become a household name due its innovative approach to providing cheap and reliable taxi and car services through its mobile and Smartphone app that connects drivers with passengers. It represents a work model wherein anyone can become gig workers and freelancers without having to give up their day job. However, the gig economy is also a model where the workers do not receive health, social security, pension benefits, paid leave or time off for medical reasons. Many believe this is no different from the colonial model of worker exploitation where hourly wages and per task payment is the norm, without annual bonuses and long-term benefits. Unlike traditional jobs where employers tend to take a long-term view of worker performance, gig work is a ruthless and competitive scene where someone is only as good as their latest gig and there are no laws that protect worker