The so-called “gig-economy” has been growing exponentially in numbers and importance in recent years but its impact on labour rights has been largely overlooked. Forms of work in the “gig-economy” include “crowdwork”, and “work-on-demand via apps”, under which the demand and supply of working activities is matched online or via mobile apps. These forms of work can provide a good match of job opportunities and allow flexible working schedules. However, they can also pave the way to a severe commodification of work. This paper discusses the implications of this commodification and advocates the full recognition of activities in the gig-economy as “work”.

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The rise of the 'just-in-time workforce': On-demand work, crowdwork and labour protection in the 'gig-economy'

To monitor trends in alternative work arrangements, the authors conducted a version of the Contingent Worker Survey as part of the RAND American Life Panel in late 2015. Their findings point to a r...

/pdf/the-rise-and-nature-of-alternative-work-arrangements-in-the-1h76whhrri.pdf

The Rise and Nature of Alternative Work Arrangements in the United States, 1995–2015:

Paid work associated with digital platform businesses (in taxi, delivery, maintenance and other functions) embodies features which complicate the application of traditional labour regulations and e...

Regulating work in the gig economy: What are the options?

This qualitative case study adopts a labour process analysis to unpack the distinctive features of capital’s control regimes in the food-delivery segment of the Australian platform-economy and asse...

Platform-Capital’s ‘App-etite’ for Control: A Labour Process Analysis of Food-Delivery Work in Australia:

This article explores the changing nature of twenty-first-century capitalism with an emphasis on illuminating the political coalitions and institutional conditions that support and sustain it. Most...

/pdf/the-rise-of-the-platform-business-model-and-the-4ywwfudu0g.pdf

Matthew Cole

Papers

The Fissured Workplace: Why Work Became So Bad for So Many and What Can Be Done to Improve It