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Lookup NU author(s): Dr Adam Badger
This is the final published version of a report that has been published in its final definitive form by University of Oxford, 2020.
For re-use rights please refer to the publisher's terms and conditions.
In March 2020, we began investigating how gig economy platforms were responding to the Covid-19 pandemic. Reports indicated that half of gig workers had lost their jobs; those still working had lost two-thirds of their income on average; and many faced the impossible choice between penury and infection. As summed up by one worker: “either I’m starving or I’m dying of coronavirus.” As those who continued to work performed functions essential to society, the pandemic deepened the fracture lines of inequality: not just between gig workers and those who are currently better served by government support schemes, but also by placing additional pressures on the women, migrants, and minority-ethnic groups who form a core part of the gig workforce.How are platforms responding? To investigate this, between March and April 2020, the Fairwork Foundation undertook a survey of platform policies, covering 120 platforms in 23 countries across Europe, North America, South America, Asia and Africa. We categorised platform responses according to the five Fairwork Principles that are used to rate platforms against decent work standards, namely: Fair Pay, Fair Conditions, Fair Contracts, Fair Management, and Fair Representation. The results were published in a report in April 2020.Since then a lot has changed. As of September 2020, more than 31 million people have been infected, and almost one million have lost their lives to the virus. The financial, social, physical and psychological toll of the pandemic has been immense. We are entering into a period where not only government financial support schemes are ending, but also the relief packages and policies offered by the platforms and other private initiatives.In order to track these changes, we present our findings based on 191 platforms in 43 countries across the world. Data for this report was collected through a combination of desk research and outreach to all of the platforms included in our survey. In particular, we expanded the research into low income and middle income countries to understand how gig workers have been affected in the absence of government relief schemes, and where platforms have faced a higher uncertainty of continuing their operations due to financial risks.
Author(s): Ustek Spilda F, Heeks R, Graham M, Bertolini A, Salem N, Katta S, Fredman S, Howson K, Ferrari F, Neerukonda M, Taduri P, Badger A, Aguera P
Publication type: Report
Publication status: Published
Series Title:
Year: 2020
Pages: 1-53
Print publication date: 01/09/2020
Online publication date: 05/09/2020
Acceptance date: 31/08/2020
Report Number: 9781917148689
Institution: University of Oxford
URL: https://fair.work/en/fw/publications/the-gig-economy-and-covid-19-looking-ahead/
