Getting Giggy with Workers’ Rights and Labour Legislation
In today’s always connected society, services are at our finger tips. We’re hungry, we use Skip the Dishes. We need to get somewhere, we “call” an Uber. Don’t want to do your groceries? That’s okay, use Instacart.
But the people who provide these services matter and deserve workers’ right and legal protections just like everyone else.
The Toronto Star article argues that though the gig economy isn’t employing new techniques to be successful, listing working on demand, piece work compensation, and supplying one’s own equipment as practices that are centuries old, the article does make a case for companies like Uber and Foodora not getting a free pass when it comes to their employees.
The gig workers deserve minimum wage, basic entitlements like pensions, and better safety measures.
It’s true that the workers need protections, they are employees or at the very least contractors of these larger corporations, but can they be classified as full-time, indeterminate employees or in the eyes of Ontario Labour Law are they casual workers or independent/dependent contractors?
The Star doesn’t make an argument for this.
It does however mention two ongoing Supreme Court Cases and one Ontario Labour Relations Board case which would determine the future classification of these workers and whether they can unionize or not.
At the micro-level, it’s the gig workers who are largely affected by the larger corporations claiming they have different rights, basically no employment rights.
However, the deciding judgement could quickly affect the corporations.
More legislation around gig work could lead to it being a viable alternative to working a full-time job and not just a side hustle or filler while people search for other work. Gig work, with the proper workers’ rights in place could lead to less precarious work, more stable income, and safer work.
It would have been nice if the Star interviewed and included perspectives from gig workers. Quotes sharing what the gig workers want or need would have improved the article as would the inclusion of labour legislation (if there is any) that currently applies to gig workers.
Kaitlyn's Blog for EMPR 200 