In this issue, you can read about:
🗓️ Upcoming talks on gig economy issues over the next two months
💸 The biggest work-related costs hitting Colombian riders, drivers, and online workers
⚖️ Conflicting court rulings making headlines worldwide
🇵🇰 The challenges Pakistani drivers and riders are currently facing
Unpaid Labour, and More: The WageIndicator Gig Team's Event-Packed Agenda
All speakers are confirmed for 'No Such Thing as a Free Coffee: On Unpaid Work in the Gig Economy and Possible Solutions,' WageIndicator's upcoming webinar on October 29, 2024, from 3 PM-4.30 PM CET.
How does unpaid labour affect workers' lives, and what are the possible solutions?
Check out the event page and reserve your spot now: SECURE YOUR SPOT
What else?
📢 On September 6, 2024, we'll present the Living Tariff case study at the “Platform Work and Workers' Collective Action and Organising” conference, hosted by the Faculty of Political Sciences, University of Banja Luka, and supported by COST Action.
🌍💼 We will also be presenting the Living Tariff at the ISLSSL World Congress in Rome from 17 to 20 September on the theme "Work in a changing world: the quest for labour rights and social justice".
📌 Here's what you should know about the Living Tariff tool
📅Bring your living wage questions to our next info session on August 30
The Price of the Ride: How Rising Fuel and Vehicle Costs Squeeze Colombia's Gig Workers
Which costs weigh more heavily on Colombian gig workers?
When it comes to food delivery and transportation services, WageIndicator's quarterly cost of living data shows that fuel and car-related costs affect drivers and riders the most, with increases of +31.60% and +18.60% respectively. Nothing compares to the cost of car insurance, which has risen by more than 35% compared to last year.
The costs for bicycles and motorcycles are slightly lower but still on the rise: +9 and +12%, respectively.
Want to know more about the price of clothing worn by riders and drivers during their work? And how about mobile phones and internet plans for remote online workers?
Find out more about the Cost of Living data collection here.
Around the world, one country at a time
We're traveling the globe to explore the costs faced by gig workers. Here are the countries we've covered so far:
🇧🇷 Brazil
There's more to come! If this newsletter was forwarded to you and you don't want to miss these updates, remember to subscribe.
How Courts in the Same Country Divide on Gig Workers' Employment Status
Globally, courts have fluctuated on the employment status of gig workers, even within the same country.
WageIndicator's database of court cases shows that in Belgium and New Zealand, Deliveroo and Uber drivers were reclassified from self-employed to employees between 2021 and 2023, as were Uber drivers in Nigeria. In the Netherlands, Helpling cleaners won the rights of temporary workers after an initial ruling against them. Similarly, in Italy, Foodora riders were deemed independent contractors in 2018, but later rulings in cases involving other platforms favoured their employment status.
Conversely, courts in Brazil and South Africa overturned initial rulings in favour of workers. The UK Supreme Court recognised Uber drivers as workers in 2021, but ruled that Deliveroo drivers were not employees in 2023. Meanwhile, in the US, rulings had generally favoured employment status, until a 2024 decision allowed app-based drivers to remain independent contractors.
OTHER REMARKABLE NEWS FROM THE COURTS WORLDWIDE
🔴 Against workers: In the Netherlands, the Amsterdam court ruled that the online work platform Temper is not an employer since it does not pay wages; clients do.
🟢For workers: Uber Uruguay has been ordered to recognise an employment relationship with one of its drivers, which is an unprecedented move in the country.
⬇️Want to know more about the platform economy in Latin America? Read below ⬇️
Unlocking the platform economy in Latin America
WageIndicator has launched Economía Gig, the newsletter dedicated to bringing you the most insightful information on the gig economy in Latin America.
Keep up to date with in-depth cost of living analysis and economic insights from the region: SIGN UP NOW
Solution to the quiz: c) Heatwave 🔥
Read the story below to learn more about this issue
Surviving the Ride: Pakistan's Gig Workers Battle Heat Waves, Climate Change, and Insecurity
Before reading the story, test your knowledge! Take the quiz below: ⬇️⬇️⬇️
Temperatures in Pakistan hit a record 52.2°C this summer, but outdoor workers, including food, grocery, and parcel delivery drivers, face challenges all year round: heat waves in summer, storms and floods during the monsoon, and smog in winter. As informal workers without health security, climate change exacerbates their vulnerability.
Are there any positive examples of platform projects supporting workers against these hazards?
In terms of legislation, what kind of climate change policies have been proposed in the country?
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