"Gig economy" rips off everyone

[Anonymous]

Uh no, the gig economy certainly benefits those who used to use the rip offs and monopolies that taxis were.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The OP pretends that gig workers are some kind of indentured servants without free will.

Yes, they are just like indentured servants. If you can't feed your family and are out of choices, you're forced to take a job with no benefits that all Americans are entitled to for very little pay. Then you get paid a small amount as an indepenent contractor but get told to do by your "boss/not-your-boss" just like an employee. You make just enough to live on plus gas and repairs on your car. That's it. No movies, no cable, no restaurants -- nothing. Nothing. You have to work time and a half to make ends meet so can't apply for "real" jobs. Your clothes get worn out and you dress worse and worse because you can't afford to replace them, and the chance of getting out gets slimmer and slimmer. But at least you are alive. At least you can feed your kids and pay rent. This is America?????

Yes, it feels just like being an indentured servant.

Yet McDonalds is always hiring. You can be an employee, and get benefits. The issue is they expect you to be there at a certain time, work for certain hours, and do your job.

If you want to work whenever you want and have a flexible schedule, there are downsides.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I've been working in the gig economy for several years now. One thing that's really bothered me is how many companies classify workers as independent contractors simply so they can avoid paying them any benefits, like sick leave and social security and workers comp. That also includes unemployment taxes. Plenty of gig economy workers are going to go belly-up now, and instead of collecting unemployment, which their "employers" paid into, they're going to have to go on welfare, which taxpayers pay for.

Why are these companies allowed to rip off the American taxpayer by shirking their responsibilities towards the people doing the actual work to make their dream business actually work?

There are so many things wrong about our economic system that are being exposed by this pandemic. This is one of them. I hope everyone realizes now that we're all connected, whether you like it or not, and that it's in all of our best interests to make sure everyone is paid fairly. When that gig worker delivers your take out or your groceries or your flowers, you are helping take advantage of them. You should care -- because now you're also going to pay for their "unemployment."

same reason the Gov outsources jobs to foreign contractors.

it is cheaper for corporations, and we, the workers, are too dumb to stop it

stop all the immigration and force corporations to hire US workers!!!!

we need to transfer control from the elites to leaders that will work for US workers!!!!

[Anonymous]

As a a software engineer I am afraid to inform you that many of your kids will end up in some kind of gig work.....We are close to having computer programs that check other computer programs for semantics (ie business logic). In other words, there are software out there that will soon replace me (and I am working on software to replace people).

Unfortunately government legislation is several years behind in terms of legislation to address this.

[Anonymous]

No one is forcing you to gig. Don't like it, get a horrible soul crushing 9 - 5 like the rest of us.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:As a a software engineer I am afraid to inform you that many of your kids will end up in some kind of gig work.....We are close to having computer programs that check other computer programs for semantics (ie business logic). In other words, there are software out there that will soon replace me (and I am working on software to replace people).

Unfortunately government legislation is several years behind in terms of legislation to address this.

So will many of the parents on this site right now. The economy is collapsing. Everyone is losing jobs at once, and everyone will jump on those platforms (which means less money for everyone on there). If they think they can live off the gig economy temporarily until something more respectable comes up, they're in for a surprise. It will be a long, long time before things get back to normal and they could very well retire from their "temporary" gig jobs, with way less social security than they would have had if they had been paid as an employee and no retirement money. Some people are kidding themselves about what's coming.

I joined the gig economy after the 2008 collapse. I held out as long as I could, because I was an adult and too good for a job like that. I spent all my savings and amassed a lot of credit card debt -- because it was only temporary.....

[Anonymous]

My hospital-based career in healthcare is looking pretty nice right now. Union, too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Americans deserve to earn a living wage.

A person should be able to work a 40 hour a week job and feed her/his family.

Wages have not kept up with inflation.

Anyone disagree?

Deserved, yes, but not entitled.