What's a "gig work minimum wage"

6 days ago

The concept of a 'gig work minimum wage' is complicated, as gig workers are often only paid when actively engaged in a job, not while waiting.
Gig platforms like Uber misclassify workers as independent contractors to avoid benefits and liability, while controlling many aspects of their work.
Uber and similar platforms claim high wages by only counting time spent on active jobs, ignoring unpaid waiting time, leading to much lower actual earnings.
Traditional livery cab drivers have more control over their work compared to gig workers, who are entirely dependent on platform algorithms.
Seattle's 'PayUp' program aimed to set a minimum wage for gig workers but failed to increase overall earnings, as it only applied to active job time.
Gig workers tolerate low pay due to desperation, and policies like PayUp shift some costs back to employers, potentially reducing worker exploitation.
To truly improve gig workers' wages, they should be paid for all hours worked, including waiting time, not just active job time.

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