the.com/gig economy
capitalism, but you're the vending machine and also the guy restocking it.
means a labor market built on short-term, app-mediated freelance work instead of stable jobs with benefits.
from the term borrows from musicians' one-night gigs, but it went mainstream around 2009 when the recession pushed people into freelance app work and companies like uber turned it into a business model.
origin decadeexploded post-2008 recession, not tech alone
legal statusdrivers classified as contractors, not employees, on purpose
global scaleover 150 million gig workers worldwide by 2023
benefits gapno sick pay, no pension, you supply the car
for instance
uber drivers — 5 million+ drivers globally, classified as independent contractors
doordash dashers — paid per delivery, tips optional, gas not included
upwork freelancers — 12 million registered users bidding against each other for rates
california prop 22 — 2020 ballot measure that let companies keep drivers as contractors