Uber, Lyft, DoorDash drivers in the U.S. to strike on Valentine’s Day for fair pay
Submitted 10 months ago by return2ozma@lemmy.world to workreform@lemmy.world
Submitted 10 months ago by return2ozma@lemmy.world to workreform@lemmy.world
Ashelyn@lemmy.blahaj.zone 10 months ago
If the companies know that a strike will only last for a day/short time it’s kind of doomed from the start to achieve little to nothing. If workers are looking for concessions, that requires prolonged effort and solidarity fundraising/organizing 99 times out of 100.
Gig economy companies know this, which is why they structure their product experience both for consumers and workers to be as alienated and atomized as possible. They also run specials all the time such as “complete 10 drives in the next 48 hours for a $50 bonus” which can be a pretty effective picket line-crossing incentive for those who need the money. People from this group will likely be much harder to reach because of their financial situation demanding so much of their attention. It’s so easy for the companies to just turn up the compensation dial temporarily, and if they know it’s coming they can just weather the 24 hours with generous offers to potential scabs and then go back to business as usual when it’s over.
Organizing despite the difficulties is the only way, but it’s definitely a stacked deck.