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The entire gig economy is built on oppression. Urban clap, Uber, swiggy- same story everywhere. Migrant workers living in shanties in unknown cities, doing odd jobs to sustain themselves, working around the clock, no benefits, no security. We need to stop glorifying #gigeconomy
No one talks about the lack of emotional support. With the formal economy comes the ability to afford therapy, soul food, friends and family- it is not designed to support any ancillary support system. We pluck the already oppressed and convince ourselves that they are better off
I booked an Urban clap cleaning task. Feel like the worst human being after hearing that the guys doing the cleaning got off their last job at 3:30 am last night.
They have barely slept. And after finishing this job at roughly 10pm, they have to go cook at some three people's houses, because doing one gig is not good enough.
I had to force them to take breaks because in a 6 hr job, clearly a task not meant for just 3 people, they simply can't take breaks, no bathroom breaks, no food breaks, nothing.
3 people to clean an entire house for 6 hrs. And this is just one of the many jobs they are doing in a day. The day is still only 3 quarters done for them. This is a cycle. You can never grow, learn new skills, get capital, knowledge. It's a death trap.
While I get my house cleaned for Durga puja, these men won't get to go home. They haven't seen their family in two years now. It's unimaginable the lives these guys lead. Even saying this is making me feel disgusted at myself.
I don't understand, I can't even begin to understand. But if I hear in one more conference, that the gig economy is the "future of work" and this is the legitimate expectation out of future employment and life and a viable "solution" for the informal economy, I will scream.
