Gig Workers Stressed Due To Constant Unfair Monitoring

As the cost of living crisis worsens, workers in the gig economy globally are grappling with another threat to their hard-earned wages – the double-edged sword of online reviews.  Researchers at Bristol and Oxford Universities have found that gig platform algorithms lack transparency and are highly volatile, leaving workers vulnerable to malicious customers. Findings revealed […]

EU Platform Work Directive Under Threat

Last year plans for an EU Platform Work Directive were announced which would have presumed all gig workers to be employees rather than self-employed, but the legislation now looks set to be diluted. The Czech Presidency of the European Council has proposed a reform of the text of the Directive which would raise the threshold […]

International Standards Needed For Gig Economy

A global manifesto has been launched to campaign for fairer platform work and raise standards for workers in the gig economy.  Timed to coincide with the International Labour Organisation’s (ILO) conference on Decent Work In The Platform Economy, the manifesto seeks to protect and ensure the rights of platform workers across the world.  Alongside the […]

Gig Economy: App Error Causes Couriers To Be Fired

Couriers who deliver food and drink for Just Eat have been fired after being mislocated by the GPS system or deviating from impossible or dangerous routes.  The drivers worked for Stuart, a company that supplies drivers to some of the biggest restaurant and retail names in the UK, and were sacked via email. The Independent Workers […]

Uber Drivers Strike Over Pay And Conditions

The App Drivers & Couriers Union (ADCU) – the union for private hire drivers and couriers – led a 24-hour national strike for Uber drivers from midnight on Tuesday 21 June until 23:59  on Wednesday 22 June. The Union say Uber drivers are facing an unprecedented cost of living crisis due to fuel inflation running […]

GMB Union To Launch Legal Action Against Bolt

GMB Union has announced it will launch legal action against the platform-based private hire firm Bolt.  Proceedings will be lodged with the Employment Tribunal in London on behalf of drivers over their classification as self-employed workers.  According to GMB, Bolt continues to use a bogus self-employment model, denying drivers sick pay, pension rights and other […]

Gig Economy ‘Fairness’ Ratings Published

Some 4.4 million people rely on gig economy platforms for at least part of their income, a figure that has more than doubled between 2016 and 2021.  This growing sector is controversial with concerns that workers are being exploited or treated unfairly, so academic group Fairwork has independently analysed five fairness aspects of the most […]

Seattle City Council Votes To Protect Gig Workers

Seattle City Council has unanimously passed a policy to create protections for gig workers who deliver meals, groceries and packages, and some on-demand service providers. According to the council, many app-based workers are underpaid, and sometimes after expenses (mileage, vehicle maintenance, insurance and other business expenses) workers may even lose money on a job.  It’s long […]

Gig Workers To Be Taxed At Source In Ireland?

According to The Times, Ireland’s Revenue wants to tax workers in the gig economy as soon as they are paid.  These workers obtain their gigs through online platforms and apps such as Deliveroo and Uber, and the platforms would be responsible for deducting tax on each transaction before workers receive their pay. Under the plan, […]