Business
Opinion: The Dark Side of the Gig Economy – An Urgent Plea for Reform Amid Exploitation and Unfair Practices
Opinion | The gig economy is letting down its workers and requires immediate changes
The widespread misuse of temporary workers just emphasizes the need for improved safeguards.
In the newly premiered Chinese movie Upstream, the middle-aged protagonist Gao Zhilei, portrayed by Xu Zheng, takes on the role of a food delivery driver to provide for his family following the loss of his professional job.
Companies operating on a platform-based model hire individuals ready to provide a service, labeling them as "independent contractors". These individuals are allocated tasks and are compensated for the services they render – once a commission has been taken out.
At first glance, a job with adaptable working hours and a steady paycheck seems straightforward. However, the protagonist in Upstream's story, Gao, discovered it's far from easy. He contends with fierce competition and grueling work schedules, and must imperil himself on the streets to meet outrageous delivery quotas simply to get by.
In India, certain gig workers are required to pay fees to be hired as freelancers and to attend compulsory training. A study conducted by the All India Gig Workers Union in 2022 highlighted that the promised job opportunities were frequently scheduled at inconvenient times, such as post-midnight, and were marked as "missed" the following day.
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