Algorithms of Exploitation: Rights Abuses in the Gig Economy and the Global Fight For Change
…Apraham, 74, has worked as a driver in Beirut for many years, first for a car service company that provided a stable salary, commission, and company-owned vehicles. In 2015, when Uber entered the market, that company closed, and he began driving for the platform as one of their first drivers in the country.
But the conditions with Uber were different: no steady salary, no predictable commissions, and he had to provide his own car. At first, he said, the work still paid well. But as driver numbers grew, fares declined and wait times increased. By 2024, even working long hours, he struggled to make ends meet…
Uber, for example, is headquartered in the United States and operates in more than 70 countries. Delivery Hero, headquartered in Germany, operates under a network of subsidiaries, including HungerStation and Talabat, across the Middle East and North Africa…
….Workers have also turned to the courts and legal proceedings to claim their rights. In 2021, the United Kingdom’s Supreme Court ruled that Uber drivers should be classified as workers entitled to minimum wage protections and paid holidays, though in 2023 it ruled that Deliveroo riders seeking collective bargaining rightswere not classified as employees. Courts in France, Spain, Italy, and Mexico have reached similar conclusions in cases examining the employment status of platform workers…