Ben Wray

Join us tomorrow! open.substack.com/live-stream/...

Review of 'UberTherapy: The New Business of Mental Health', great new book on the Uberisation of mental health care by Elizabeth Cotton (@survivingwork.bsky.social). thegigeconomyproject.substack.com/p/review-ube...

Ben Wray reposted

Date for your diary: Join our GEP Forum next Wednesday 28 October 7pm CET to discuss alternative business models to Uberisation. We will be joined by Eamonn O'Sullivan from Tap-A-Taxi and Ben Knowles from @pedalme.bsky.social. Link here: open.substack.com/live-stream/...

Ben Wray reposted

Some weekend listening for you 🔊 In this episode in our Spanish election series, Chris and I put Spain's so-called economic 'growth miracle' under the microscope: has Spanish capitalism really been revived under Sánchez's leadership? www.patreon.com/conterscot/p...

When the only entry jobs in Europe are in precarious gig work, training US Big Tech’s AI systems, is it any wonder the youth are in open revolt against a broken system?

thegigeconomyproject.substack.comWe may all be data annotators soon enoughNewsletter

More here: thegigeconomyproject.substack.com/p/we-may-all...

thegigeconomyproject.substack.comWe may all be data annotators soon enoughNewsletter

The largest risk of Uberisation for the widest section of workers comes from data annotation work. We are seeing it now: university-educated workers in Maths, Physics, Coding are having their skills broken down, fragmented & fed into AI systems thegigeconomyproject.substack.com/publish/post...

Ben Wray reposted

Chris Bambery and I cover 500 years of Spanish history in 50 minutes, from the Spanish Empire to the Civil War to the transition. Have a listen! 🔊🔊🔊 www.patreon.com/conterscot/p...

Chris Bambery and I cover 500 years of Spanish history in 50 minutes, from the Spanish Empire to the Civil War to the transition. Have a listen! 🔊🔊🔊 www.patreon.com/conterscot/p...

thegigeconomyproject.substack.comReview: Working in the Gray ZoneBook review

When companies can save €9,000 to €18,000 a year by hiring a worker as a freelancer, and the chances of there ever being a labour inspection are minimal, why would we be surprised that bogus self-employment is spreading? Book review: thegigeconomyproject.substack.com/p/review-wor...

Chris Bambery & I discuss the housing movement in Spain and the wider political context. In the run-up to the election on 29 Nov, we are going to do one pod a week talking about Spanish history, economy, geopolitics etc: subscribe @conterscot.bsky.social and listen! www.patreon.com/conterscot/p...

Gig workers are also renters.

thegigeconomyproject.substack.comGig workers are also rentersNewsletter

Read more and subscribe here on the Gig Economy Project substack: thegigeconomyproject.substack.com/p/gig-worker...

Gig workers are also renters, forced into insecure housing by the poverty of their wages, and visa-versa. As the housing protests in Spain show, the struggle for the right to housing and to decent work are linked together. Latest newsletter: thegigeconomyproject.substack.com/p/gig-worker...

In Spain, they protest for the right to secure housing. In Germany, they demonstrate against military conscription. Education, housing, peace: the youth want a future worth living, but capitalism won't give it!

Ever get the feeling that, rather than being a tool for European sovereignty, the Brussels machine just makes subordination to the US more streamlined?

elsaltodiario.comCCOO y UGT se suman al llamamiento de huelga general y acuerdan convocar para este otoñoLa noticia del adelanto electoral no ha frenado las intenciones de los dos sindicatos mayoritarios de apoyar un parón “por el derecho a la vivienda y salarios dignos para pagarla”.

There will be a general strike against rentierism and the speculative housing model in Spain! ✊✊✊ bsky.app/profile/elsa...

El Salto@elsaltodiario.com

‼️CCOO y UGT se suman al llamamiento de huelga general y acuerdan convocar para este otoño 📸Foto Alberto Astudillo.

'The housing movement has transformed Spanish politics, and might save Sánchez on 29 November' My thoughts on a high-stakes Spanish General Election ⬇️ braveneweurope.com/national-pol...

General Election in Spain, 29 November. It will be a contest over narratives: is Spain divided by social class, between those who pay rent and those who collect it, or is it divided between native and migrant, between christian and muslim? High stakes!

This is a hail mary from Sánchez. The Right are still strong favourites to win. But the Left now go into the election with a message that is popular, while the Right have nothing to say on housing because everyone knows they are in the pocket of the rentiers and the speculators.

A key to the election will be whether the parties to the left of PSOE can get their act together and present a dynamic & united ticket, and raise the alternative left's vote to minimum 10%. Again, the housing movement has presented an opportunity that wasn't there before but the divisions run deep.

In some ways its sad that the housing movement has been used for electoral ends, it would have been interesting to see how it would have evolved independently of elections. On the other hand, if the left win a surprising victory, the housing movement will have huge political power in the next term.

Glovo is already facing a labour inspectorate investigation over continuing to operate during a heatwave in Barcelona in the summer. It should also be held to account for operating during a flood in Bilbao. No rider should be pounding the streets during extreme weather. bsky.app/profile/fons...

Fonsi Loaiza@fonsiloaizap.bsky.social

Hoy, la ciudad de Bilbao está completamente inundada. Mientras, la multinacional Glovo sigue explotando a sus trabajadores, y clientes miserables siguen pidiendo comida en plenas inundaciones.

This is amazing to see. The movement is not slowing after the fall of the housing decrees - it's growing. The call from the movement for a general strike is one union leaders should take seriously: housing is a lightening rod for working class unity! bsky.app/profile/faro...

Faro de Vigo@farodevigo.es

📢 Miles de personas protagonizan una manifestación en el centro de la ciudad para reclamar «soluciones permanentes» que garanticen el acceso a una vivienda digna 🔗 Toda la información 👉https://mrf.lu/2rRmb

@timchristiaens.bsky.social

Finally, a country has actually transposed the EU Platform Work Directive. Well done Slovakia! We take a look at the strengths and weaknesses of 'The Act on Work Performed through Digital Labour Platforms' in this GEP briefing: thegigeconomyproject.substack.com/p/first-pwd-...

Ben Wray reposted

Tim Christiaens

Most EU countries are failing to meet the deadline for the Platform Work Directive. @benwray1989.bsky.social explains why. thegigeconomyproject.substack.com/p/why-govern...

thegigeconomyproject.substack.comWhy governments are not worried about missing the deadline for Platform Work Directive transpositionNewsletter + report from Platforum in Gdansk

thegigeconomyproject.substack.comWhy governments are not worried about missing the deadline for Platform Work Directive transpositionNewsletter + report from Platforum in Gdansk

The Platform Work Directive legislative process has dragged on 5 years: in most EU states it's now set to go on even longer, cos govts arent fussed about missing the legal deadline. Every day the status quo continues is another day of poverty wages. thegigeconomyproject.substack.com/p/why-govern...

Ben Wray reposted

Important new study launched this week by @workerinfox.bsky.social and @etuc-ces.bsky.social on Uber's dynamic pay system in Europe. We have worked with drivers across 10 European countries to understand how this exploitative pay system works and what impact it has. Short 🧵about what we found.

The use of algorithms to determine commission rates in real time, based on behavioural patterns which these companies observe in their workers' data & based on supply & demand conditions, is a risk to the whole working class. It needs to be stopped now before it spreads further.

dynamicpay.orgHas Uber’s dynamic pay cut into your livelihood?Uber’s pay system has left many drivers earning less, facing unpredictable shifts, and longer waiting times. A new collective action in the Netherlands.

This research has contributed towards the evidence base for the class-action lawsuit that WIX is pursuing against Uber in the Amsterdam District Court over its use of dynamic pay systems. Drivers can join the class action here: dynamicpay.org ENDS

In some countries, drivers can no longer even see the fare that the customer has paid. They therefore have no way of calculating what commission Uber takes, unless they ask the customer themselves. Uber called dynamic pay 'upfront pricing', but it has left drivers in the dark.

Uber started dynamic pay, but it is now used by many digital labour platforms. We have made 9 recommendations to governments for how to ensure platform workers have fair and transparent pay: the first and most important being to prohibit dynamic pay practices outright.

In every market where dynamic pay has been rolled-out, Uber has taken a higher commission on average than pre-dynamic pay. But because commission varies from trip-to-trip, its hard for drivers to see these higher commissions. Dynamic pay has thus facilitated pay-cuts-by-stealth.

In Belgium, Uber promised when it introduced dynamic pay that their average commission would not rise above the previous fixed rate of 25% on a monthly basis. We have gathered evidence which proves that is not what has happened: Uber's average commission has steadily risen.

First, you can access the study here: etuc.org/en/publicati... And more info in the Gig Economy Project newsletter here: thegigeconomyproject.substack.com/p/new-report... Piece in Le Monde about it here: lemonde.fr/economie/art...

etuc.orgetuc.org

Uber rolled out dynamic pay across Europe in 2023/ 2024 across almost all markets. Dynamic pay de-links pay rates from the price paid by the customer & from the standard metrics of time & distance travelled. Uber's commission, which was previously fixed, varies from trip-to-trip.

bit.lyThousands march in Madrid to protest Spain's housing crisis after eviction of 87-year-old womanThousands of people have marched in Madrid to protest against Spain’s housing crisis and ask for protective measures for tenants, anti-fraud measures, and a ban on evictions without alternative housing.

Inspiring to see young people occupying the centre of Madrid en masse against rentierism, after a protest of 300,000 yday. Echoes of the indignados movement of 15 years ago. The housing crisis is the no 1 problem in Spain: these protests will resonate with the public. bsky.app/profile/apne...

The Associated Press@apnews.com

Thousands of people have marched in Madrid to protest against Spain’s housing crisis and ask for protective measures for tenants, anti-fraud measures, and a ban on evictions without alternative housing.

"The far-right is not a project in favour of the working class, it's in favour of Uber" I discuss the upcoming French presidential elections with @leilachaibi.bsky.social, where there is a good chance far-right leader Le Pen will face off against the left's Mélenchon. What will it mean for workers?

thegigeconomyproject.substack.comWatch: Leïla Chaibi MEP on platform work in France and EuropeThe Gig Economy Project caught up with Leïla Chaibi, France Insoumise MEP and long time campaigner for rights for platform workers, in Gdansk at the ETUC’s annual ‘Platforum’ to discuss:

Watch our full interview with Leila Chaibi on platform work in France and Europe here, and subscribe to the Substack for more: thegigeconomyproject.substack.com/p/watch-leil...

open.substack.comLIVE NOW: GEP Forum: Live with Leïla Chaibi MEP, Thursday Sept 24, 3pm CETThe Gig Economy Project on Substack

We're going LIVE with @LeilaChaibi, starting 3pm - join us now: open.substack.com/live-stream/...

Ben Wray reposted

open.substack.comLIVE SOON: GEP Forum: Live with Leïla Chaibi MEP, Thursday Sept 24, 3pm CETStarting Sep 24 at 9:00 AM EDT

21 Sept

We will be joined by @leilachaibi.bsky.social for the first GEP Forum on Thursday! You can join the conversation with Leila on the future of the gig economy in France and Europe, as the deadline for transposing the EU Platform Work Directive looms. Join us here: open.substack.com/live-stream/...

Ben Wray reposted

@kieranhurley.bsky.social

New York's crackdown on DoorDash's wage theft is an inspiring example of how to hold the platforms to account. Read the full story and lots more news in the latest newsletter (link below). #Gigeconomy #Fooddelivery #wagetheft #DoorDash #NYC

Ben Wray reposted

Kieran Hurley

This fuckin rules

Ben Wray@benwray1989.bsky.social

New York's DoorDash wage theft crack down is seriously impressive. Not only have they used the platform's data against them, they've punished DoorDash with a serious penalty, while creating a new worker-led compliance system for real-time accountability.