The dialectics of labour segmentation in the Swedish gig economy

Risk Shifts in the Gig Economy: The Normative Case for an Insurance Scheme against the Effects of Precarious Work*

The gig economy is mainly comprised of platform and gig workers and has been characterised by short-term, freelance and flexible nature of employment. It has transformed the traditional standard of employment by offering new opportunities along with challenges in the existing labour market. The gig economy has seen an exponential growth in India mainly due to advancements in technology, a rise in preference for non-traditional work arrangement, the digitalisation of the economy, need for a second and quick source of income due to economic pressure. Gig economy in India encloses a broad range of industries from ride-hailing services and food delivery agents to freelance IT and creative work. The key challenges for the regulation of gig economy in India includes ambiguity in legal status, the lack of collective bargaining power and the absences of a comprehensive social security for platform/ gig workers. The regulation of gig and platform workers is a global issue where the International Labour Organisation (ILO) has recognised the need to protect the gig workers. The ILO’s 2025 agenda focuses on advancing social justice and promoting decent work in the evolving labour market. It aims to address critical areas such as the future of work, social protection, equality and the regulation of emerging work forms like the gig economy. India has taken certain measures to regulate the gig economy by focusing on providing legal recognition and social security to platform and gig workers, the social security code, 2020 and other initiatives at the central level and State level initiatives includes certain steps taken by the State government such as the state of Rajasthan and Kerala. This paper aims to study the pros and cons of the gig economy, whether it is a panacea or pandora’s box for developing nations along with that the paper aims to address the following three questions: 1. Why the Gig Economy is on the rise? 2. Why is there a need to regulate it? 3. What are the recent measures taken to regulate it?

Purpose This paper aims to explore and conceptualize the emotional labor of racial minorities and women in the gig economy. Design/methodology/approach The paper draws on current research on gig workers' engagement in emotional labor and accounts of unfair practices in the gig economy. It calls out the presence of bias in algorithmic systems used within the gig economy as a means of control and gig worker management. The negative impact of such bias on a specific gig worker demographic is theorized. Findings Through a review of research on the nature of work in the gig economy, the paper suggests an unspoken mandate exists for gig workers to engage in emotional labor practices. Specifically, the nature of gig work in terms of algorithmic control, coupled with gig work dependence, often creates a need for gig workers to engage in emotional labor. This need is heightened for racial and ethnic minorities and women gig workers. Research limitations/implications As gig platforms increasingly rely on algorithms for management and gig workers face biases, this paper offers valuable insights that contribute to a comprehensive understanding of the gig economy's impact on worker well-being. The paper discusses the need for more profound research into the nature of work in the gig economy and the life experiences of gig workers. Practical implications This paper has significant implications for organizations and gig workers. Understanding the relationships proposed in this paper can inform organizational strategies to enhance the well-being of gig workers and improve their overall work experiences, potentially leading to increased satisfaction and reduced turnover. Additionally, the paper recommends strategies gig workers can utilize to achieve positive outcomes. Originality/value The evolving work landscape, driven by the gig economy, necessitates a thorough understanding of new work dynamics. This paper sheds light on the often-overlooked diversity within the gig workforce, mainly focusing on the unique experiences of women and racial and ethnic minorities.

The term gig economy came in vogue during 2009 financial crisis. It reached its vortex with the outbreak of corona pandemic. Recently several literature, articles and report have projected Gig economy as an effective answer to gigantic problem of unemployment in several countries of the world. This present study on Gig Economy aims to define gig economy, discuss its unique features highlighting the relevance of growth of Gig economy in state of Bihar in creation of employment opportunities and to which extent it is justified. The present study throws light on the differences existing in work culture of gig workers, self-employed workers, organised sector workers and unorganised sector workers. As a generator of large employment opportunities distinctive features of gig economy have been analysed juxtaposed to the problems and hurdles faced by women in Bihar while entering the gig economy. The prime concern today is why this new category of workers emerged known as gig workers. The answer lies in changing needs of the human being, changing environment propounded by corona pandemic and technological advancement. The United States is the largest labour market for gig workers. The digitalisation and outbreak of corona pandemic accelerated the gigification of large economies. The present study uses primary and secondary data to corroborate whether gig economy is capable of creating employment opportunities in Bihar or especially for women. With the above objective in mind the research is based on field work, conducted through survey questionnaire of around 200 respondents in different location from 5 districts of Bihar. The questions were formulated to capture and assess the socio-economic background of respondents, penetration of digital tools and digital awareness. Questions were structured to obtain information regarding monthly income, ownership of mobile phone smartphone or feature phone, access to Internet service, knowledge of operating mobile banking to reach to correct conclusions.The article also suggests few corrective measures to overcome difficulties faced by women in Bihar. To avail benefits of gig economy Bihar needs to work on basic parameters of illiteracy, digital literacy, change in orthodox thinking especially towards women and thus bridging the rural urban gap and at the same time measures should be taken for building financial and credit facilities. Benefit of the new gig economy can only be harnessed when there is change in traditional mindset of Bihar and expansion of internet users in Bihar. Not only number of internet users are lowest in Bihar but there is large digital gender gap too. Gig economy can become a source of increasing livelihood if the working population is digitally literate. In Bihar 76% of population is still engaged in agriculture. However the job creating sectors or opportunities offered by gig economy as discussed require skills that are more suited to urban areas . Job opportunities offered or created by gig economy require that minimum level of literacy which is not suitable foe workforce in Bihar as we know that Bihar has lowest female literacy and Bihar doesn't rank high in male literacy too.A more conscious, streamlined and targeted effort by leaders and population of Bihar can only help women to harness the benefits of gig economy and take women on the path of economic prosperity.

Industry experts estimate that there could be over 15 million gig economy workers in India. Despite its massive potential, India’s gig economy is still at a very nascent stage. Due to the recent pandemic, many companies were forced to trim staff and hire gig workers due to uncertain market conditions. This has dispelled many reservations about the dependability and long-term viability of a gig workforce. India can emerge as one of the largest markets for flexible staffing globally. It is therefore apt that a research article traces the Indian gig economy and draws valid inferences for the human resource (HR) function. The objective of this article is to review and synthesise themes and narratives around gig economy from the perspective of people’s function. The study analyses the concepts in two phases. In phase I, we summarise the key concepts from academic research. We, further, extract the opinions of business professionals; in phase II, using text mining techniques in SPSS Modeler Text of qualitative data discussed in the Indian context is used to come up with the gig economy narrative in India. This inductive research draws inferences from secondary data available in newspapers, magazines, blogs, research journals and comments posted on social media like LinkedIn and Twitter. The findings of this article reveal how gig economy has shaped the employer–employee relationship. While doing so, we present the opportunities and challenges for the gig workers, the influence of the pandemic in fuelling the gig economy and perception of the organisations. There is more positive sentiment and optimism around the gig economy in India. The role of the managers will transform in this model, and functions like learning and development and performance management will undergo vital changes. Creating a sense of inclusion and belongingness among the gig workers will become a priority. Therefore, to become a stable employment model, there is a need to create a robust gig ecosystem where expectations of all the important stakeholders are understood and met. Implication: The union budget 2021–2022 for the first time acknowledged the gig economy and announced social security benefits for the gig workers. It is time for HR and policymakers to redesign policies and processes that will not just accommodate gig workers into the formal employment but also foster inclusion. The exhaustive review of literature provides a holistic picture of gig economy to scholars interested in the field of gig economy, psychological contract, and diversity and inclusion. Practitioners can use insights from this research study to manage, engage and retain their gig talent.

Gig Workers are individuals who take on short-term, flexible jobs often mediated through digital platforms. This type of work includes roles like Drivers for ride-share services like Uber or Lyft, or delivery workers for Zomato or Swiggy, and Gig workers are mainly employed by big corporations like Swiggy, Zomato, Uber, Ola, Rapido, fiverr, upwork inc., lyft, TaskRabbit, Airbnb, toptal, 99designs, amazon flex, crowdspring, doordash, Etsy, Instacart, perpleperhour and more. Gig workers face many difficulties and problem in their life. They earn below minimum wage . Gig workers are unaware about schemes that provided by government like Pradhan Mantri Shram Yogi Maan-Dhan (PM-SYM), Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana (PMSBY), Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana (PMJJBY) and etc . ?The gig economy accounts to 1.5% of the total working class or the labour class in the country? . A study says that 7.7 million working people were engaged in the gig economy and is expected to rise to 23.5 million by 2029-2030, generating up to 4% of the country's income. The government of India recently added a separate section in the Code on Social Security (2020) in name called 'gig economy' but the code has still not come into effect . This paper will focus on the existing labour laws and social security frameworks, code on social security 2020 is sufficient for Gig workers, does social security act 2008 support for gig workers and highlighting their inadequacies in protecting gig workers? rights. The Researcher, through this article, tried to identify the problems faced by gig workers in relation to labour welfare in the gig economy. Further the researcher provides appropriate suggestion by recommendation to improve livelihood of Gig workers.

The gig economy, characterized by short-term contracts and freelance work, has significantly altered traditional employment models. This shift poses unique challenges and opportunities for Human Resource Management (HRM). As the gig economy grows, understanding the role of HRM in managing gig workers becomes crucial, particularly in terms of employee engagement, motivation, and retention. This research aims to explore the role of HRM practices in the gig economy, focusing on how HRM can effectively manage and support gig workers to enhance organizational performance and worker satisfaction. A comprehensive mixed-method approach was meticulously employed, integrating both quantitative and qualitative techniques to thoroughly assess the role of HRM in the gig economy. The quantitative component involved a structured survey distributed to 250 HR professionals across various industries, with an impressive response rate of 78% (195 respondents). The survey focused on HRM practices such as recruitment (30% of questions), performance management (25%), training (20%), and development (25%). In parallel, qualitative semi-structured interviews were conducted with 40 gig workers from diverse sectors, representing a 10% sampling from the total pool of respondents who participated in the survey. The study utilized SPSS software for quantitative analysis, focusing on multiple regression and factor analysis techniques.These interviews were designed to inclusively explore the gig workers' experiences and expectations regarding HRM practices, providing nuanced insights that complemented the survey data. The quantitative analysis revealed that 68% of HR professionals reported incorporating flexible recruitment strategies tailored to gig workers, with 54% emphasizing performance management systems adapted for short-term contracts. Training and development were less frequently addressed, with only 45% and 38% of respondents indicating specific programs for gig workers.Qualitative interviews further illuminated these findings, with gig workers expressing a strong preference for more inclusive training opportunities (70% of interviewees) and transparent performance management systems (65%). Many gig workers also highlighted the need for development pathways that could lead to longer-term employment or enhanced skills (60%), suggesting a gap between HRM practices and gig worker expectations. The study concludes that HRM plays a critical role in optimizing the gig economy workforce. By adapting HR practices to meet the unique needs of gig workers, organizations can achieve better performance outcomes and improve worker satisfaction. The research underscores the importance of developing HRM frameworks that are flexible, responsive, and aligned with the evolving nature of work in the gig economy.

The advent of the gig economy has triggered an unprecedented transformation in labor markets worldwide. Leveraging an intricate network analysis, this paper aims to delve into the multi-layered complexities of labor market metamorphosis within the context of a digital gig economy. We construct a bipartite labor-market network model that allows us to explore the nexus between gig workers and employment platforms using a robust set of parameters – connectivity, centrality, and clustering coefficient. Consequently, our empirical investigation elucidates how traditional labor market paradigms are being disrupted, engendering the emergence of new socio-economic stratifications. The results unveil a counterintuitive network structure where high centrality does not necessarily correlate with enhanced economic benefits for gig workers. Moreover, the findings underscore the potential pitfalls of a skewed clustering coefficient, manifesting as increased vulnerability to systemic shocks. The ubiquity of digital technology has engendered a seismic shift in economic frameworks, predominantly by initiating the concept of the gig economy. Although a plethora of research has been conducted on the gig economy from various disciplinary vantage points, limited endeavors have been undertaken to explore the intricacies of labor market changes via a network analysis paradigm. As a result, this study provides vital insights for policymakers, platform operators, and labor market participants, promoting a nuanced understanding of the gig economy’s implications for labor market architecture.

The rising trend of the gig economy significantly influences the labor market and work culture, as an increasing number of individuals seek out flexible work arrangements and participate in on-demand work opportunities. This shift has profoundly impacted societies and economies, particularly in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, new forms of work and entrepreneurship within the gig economy have disrupted conventional notions of employment and raised questions about traditional employer-employee relationships. This article presents initial findings from a qualitative study exploring the difficulties encountered by gig workers in Romania. Its objective is to understand how these challenges impact gig workers’ lives and career paths, who represent a new generation of employees. Currently, information and studies on the gig economy and gig work in Romania are limited, and therefore, extant regulatory policies and mechanisms may be adapted to answering emergent work relationships. The current research aims to emphasize the necessity of a shared conceptual framework and the development of regulations and public policies concerning the gig economy and gig work in Romania, with the aim to be instrumental to policymakers, organizations, labor market specialists, scholars, and other interested parties in enhancing their understanding of gig workers in emerging economies.

Advances in technology and the increasing number of workers who are not constrained by traditional ways of working have fuelled gig economy activity, with several online platforms and gig workers springing up around the world. On the other hand, the problematic nature of value creation in the relationship between online platforms and gig workers has become an impediment to the sustainable growth of the gig economy. Although the gig economy business model is based on a triangular relationship consisting of platforms, gig workers and consumers, there has been limited discussion of the potential for customers to influence gig economy labour relations. Therefore, this paper identified the problematic nature of value creation in the relationship between online platforms and gig workers and theoretically integrated the possibility of active consumer intervention into this issue. This paper can highlight the hitherto unfocused relationship between gig workers and consumers and provide realistic sustainability options for existing gig economy business operations. Based on a systematic literature review, this paper proposed a conceptual framework that would incorporate four items in the consumer-worker interaction: rating systems/feedback, word of mouth, gig worker’s working condition and consumers’ moral awareness. As the result of interaction, there would be two possible outcomes: Pattern A suggests that the platform may be at risk of further deterioration, whilst Pattern B suggests that the platform’s labour practices could be improved. Finally, this paper also planned a specific research design, data collection and data analysis procedures for future research. Although this paper focuses only on on-demand (offline) through app services, which is the strongest link between customers and gig workers in the gig economy, it is one of the benchmark studies to focus on consumers in the gig economy triangular relationship. This proposed conceptual framework will contribute to the observation of the potential for consumers to improve the working conditions of gig workers in the gig economy.

In Algeria, gig economy emergence was fueled by local telecommunications infrastructure’ and internet connectivity improvement, and labor market deteriorating conditions. This study aims to describe Algerian freelancers' experience in the gig economy, the precarities, and inequalities freelancers experience with platforms. This research is an exploratory descriptive study. It uses an online questionnaire to conduct a descriptive survey on 60 Algerian freelancer active on freelancing platforms. Respondents were reached via LinkedIn. The collected data were analyzed using Excel. The study finds that freelancing in Algeria is driven by the growing availability of digital platforms like Upwork and Fiverr. Local demand for freelancers remains limited. The gig economy in Algeria is youth-driven; gig workers are young people aged between 20-29 years old (65%), majoring in IT and Communication, active in the field of creative design, and mainly male (80%), indicating a gender gap similar to the existing one in the traditional labor market. Most freelancers are part-time workers, and in general, freelancing is a second choice in most cases. Algerian freelancers are highly educated, they use their professional network, work experience and client ratings and feedback to get new projects without needing for university degrees as signals in the online gig labor. They usually rely on ongoing self-study to develop and preserve pertinent skills. We contribute to the discourse into the gig economy by concentrating on the Algerian context as a growing labor market contrasting with countries in the global north. We provide insights into the relationships’ dynamics and the asymmetries the gig economy market reproduces.

The gig economy's explosive growth has created flexible, platform-based entrepreneurial opportunities that have drastically changed the global employment landscape. The role of gig work in promoting entrepreneurship is examined in this study, "The Gig Economy as a Sustainable Entrepreneurial Pathway – A Study on Zomato Ltd." It focuses on the advantages, difficulties, and long-term sustainability of gig work for workers in India's digital labor market. In order to obtain thorough insights, the study uses a mixed-method research design that combines quantitative and qualitative techniques. A structured questionnaire was used to gather primary data from 50 Zomato delivery partners in major Indian cities. Secondary data came from academic publications, business reports, and policy documents, such as India's Booming Gig and Platform Economy (2022) by NITI Aayog. The association between work flexibility, job satisfaction, and entrepreneurial intention was evaluated using statistical techniques like regression analysis and correlation. The results show that the main factors boosting gig workers' entrepreneurial mindset are flexibility, autonomy, and income potential. But issues like unstable income, no social security, and little opportunity for career advancement still exist. Gig work may be a route to self-employment if it is facilitated by strong institutional and organizational frameworks, according to a positive correlation between job satisfaction and entrepreneurial intent. To ensure sustainable gig entrepreneurship, the study suggests bolstering social protection, welfare, and skill development programs

The subject of the article is impact the gig economy to the legal regulation of labor, civil, tax relations.The purpose of the article is to identify the problems of legal regulation of relations between gig workers and digital platforms in the gig economy and suggest ways to improve it.The methodology includes systematic approach, comparative method, formal-logical method, formal-legal method, analysis, synthesis.The main results of the research. The transition from a “classic” industrial employment relationship between an employer and an employee to one based on the gig economy, using digital platforms to link the employee to their job, has created problems in classifying employment arrangements in labor law. In the current situation, the state needs to do a lot of work: (1) the sphere of the gig economy requires the compilation of clear terminology, as well as the analysis and identification of the functions of digital platforms and gig workers, then it requires amendments to labor legislation; (2) it is necessary to develop criteria for gig workers or independent contractors, one of the criteria can be proposed: the performance of work by a gig worker without the control of the hiring firm. The hiring firm's control should be limited to accepting or rejecting the results a gig worker achieves, not how they achieve them; (3) It is necessary to delimit the sphere of regulation of hired labor from the sphere of regulation of gig-employment, to withdraw gig-employment from the regulation of labor legislation.An analysis of the current legislation and law enforcement practice shows that the cornerstone of legal regulation in the field of the gig economy is the issue of legal registration of relations between digital platforms and their partners. Thus, with a rigid approach that identifies these relations with labor relations, the gig economy loses its specificity, digital platforms lose their competitive advantages in many ways, and in some cases, their ability to function. At the same time, the current relations in the field of employment of individuals on digital platforms allow us to speak about the presence of certain differences between such relations and labor relations, which are manifested mainly in greater freedom on the side of the "employee" and less control on the part of the employer – the digital platform, and also the unstable nature of this form of employment and its subsidiarity to more traditional forms. The specificity of the relationship between platforms and its counterparties also raises the question of the need to reform the provisions on civil liability, aimed at formulating special grounds for the responsibility of digital platforms, the distribution of this responsibility between them and their partners. Such provisions may be based on the existing norms on the liability of the employer for harm caused by his employee.Conclusions. The change of labor relations between employees and the employer to the relationship between the digital platform and gig workers predetermines the transformation of tax legal relations, in terms of the following aspects: what taxes should a gig worker pay, should there be any special tax regime; how the issue of paying insurance premiums should be resolved, whether they should be mandatory or voluntary; what role digital platforms will play in tax relations, whether they should act as tax agents or data providers; what requirements for gig workers, as taxpayers, should be imposed by tax legislation in terms of record keeping and reporting; how tax control should be exercised over gig workers and digital platforms.

20 | International Union Rights | 27/3 FOCUS | IMPACTS OF COVID-19 ON WORK AND THE CHALLENGE FOR UNION RIGHTS ‘Justbecauseyoudon’tseeyourboss, doesn’tmeanyoudon’thaveaboss’:Covid19 and Gig Worker Strikes across Latin America Latin America has been hit hard by Covid-19. On 22 September, the region had reported more than 8.8 million cases, and 325,000 deaths (Horton, 2020). As daily case numbers began to fall in Europe from May onwards, they continued to surge in Brazil, Argentina, Colombia, Mexico and across the region. So far, Brazil has recorded the third highest number of cases in the world, 4.5 million as at September, and more than 140,000 people have lost their lives. Looking beyond the headline numbers, it is clear that the region’s high levels of inequality have shaped the course and the outcomes of its pandemic experience. Latin America includes some of the most unequal countries in the world, and these existing inequalities inevitably put the greatest pressure on those on the margins of the labour market. ‘Gig’ (or ‘platform’) workers, who perform piece-rate on-demand tasks through apps, have been particularly hard hit. Many gig workers lost their incomes overnight as a result of lockdowns, while others risk heightened exposure to the virus in order to keep earning. While the images of mass grave sites dominated news emanating from Latin America in May, weeks later another story of global significance was emerging - large, coordinated strikes by gig economy workers across the region. As early as April, workers had begun striking against dangerous working conditions and low pay during the pandemic. Protests intensified in July, with large-scale strikes on July 1 spanning ten Brazilian cities, alongside other countries, including Argentina, Ecuador, Chile and Mexico. Further international strikes occurred in August. The strikers were food delivery couriers, working for Uber Eats, Rappi, iFood, Glovo and other platforms. These strikes are particularly historic, in that they represent the first real example of an international, sector-wide, strike movement in the gig economy. They have been catalysed by the conditions of the pandemic for a number of reasons. Covid-19 has further eroded gig workers’ already tenuous financial and physical security, whilst also demonstrating the essential nature of the work they perform. These conditions highlight the core issue of the misclassification of platform workers as independent contractors without access to employment rights or benefits. As the struggle faced by gig workers in Latin America has only intensified, the pandemic has provided the impetus and platform for thousands to raise their voices against underlying structural injustices. In this article, we trace the courier strikes across Latin America, with evidence from Brazil, Chile and Ecuador from April to August. These case studies have been compiled by researchers in the Fairwork network, a multi-national collaborative research project that tracks labour conditions in the gig economy, and encourages labour platforms to meet defined standards of fair work in the absence of regulation (Graham et. al., 2020). Covid-19 and Worker Strikes Across Latin America Histories of profound social inequality mean precarious working conditions are already normalised in many Latin American countries, however so are legacies of labour resistance. In Brazil, many have worked in insecure jobs, as couriers, cleaners and drivers, for a long time before the advent of digital labour platforms. Nevertheless recent years have witnessed the further erosion of public provision of social security, education, health, and labour rights, paving the way for the gig economy model of algorithmically-managed insecure work to become widespread. As President Jair Bolsonaro pronounced early in his term; ‘workers will have to choose between more rights or more jobs’ (in Araujo & Murakawa, 2020). Covid-19 has further heightened the precarity faced by gig workers (Fairwork, 2020). In the gig economy, workers disproportionately bear both the risks, and the costs associated with the labour process (Fredman et. al., 2020). For delivery drivers, the risk of contracting the virus is now added to the everpresent risk of road accidents. Additionally, restaurant closures have increased the risk of non-payment, and deactivation. At the centre of this issue is the practice of classifying workers as independent contractors. Because gig workers are not classified as...

20 | International Union Rights | 27/3 FOCUS | IMPACTS OF COVID-19 ON WORK AND THE CHALLENGE FOR UNION RIGHTS ‘Justbecauseyoudon’tseeyourboss, doesn’tmeanyoudon’thaveaboss’:Covid19 and Gig Worker Strikes across Latin America Latin America has been hit hard by Covid-19. On 22 September, the region had reported more than 8.8 million cases, and 325,000 deaths (Horton, 2020). As daily case numbers began to fall in Europe from May onwards, they continued to surge in Brazil, Argentina, Colombia, Mexico and across the region. So far, Brazil has recorded the third highest number of cases in the world, 4.5 million as at September, and more than 140,000 people have lost their lives. Looking beyond the headline numbers, it is clear that the region’s high levels of inequality have shaped the course and the outcomes of its pandemic experience. Latin America includes some of the most unequal countries in the world, and these existing inequalities inevitably put the greatest pressure on those on the margins of the labour market. ‘Gig’ (or ‘platform’) workers, who perform piece-rate on-demand tasks through apps, have been particularly hard hit. Many gig workers lost their incomes overnight as a result of lockdowns, while others risk heightened exposure to the virus in order to keep earning. While the images of mass grave sites dominated news emanating from Latin America in May, weeks later another story of global significance was emerging - large, coordinated strikes by gig economy workers across the region. As early as April, workers had begun striking against dangerous working conditions and low pay during the pandemic. Protests intensified in July, with large-scale strikes on July 1 spanning ten Brazilian cities, alongside other countries, including Argentina, Ecuador, Chile and Mexico. Further international strikes occurred in August. The strikers were food delivery couriers, working for Uber Eats, Rappi, iFood, Glovo and other platforms. These strikes are particularly historic, in that they represent the first real example of an international, sector-wide, strike movement in the gig economy. They have been catalysed by the conditions of the pandemic for a number of reasons. Covid-19 has further eroded gig workers’ already tenuous financial and physical security, whilst also demonstrating the essential nature of the work they perform. These conditions highlight the core issue of the misclassification of platform workers as independent contractors without access to employment rights or benefits. As the struggle faced by gig workers in Latin America has only intensified, the pandemic has provided the impetus and platform for thousands to raise their voices against underlying structural injustices. In this article, we trace the courier strikes across Latin America, with evidence from Brazil, Chile and Ecuador from April to August. These case studies have been compiled by researchers in the Fairwork network, a multi-national collaborative research project that tracks labour conditions in the gig economy, and encourages labour platforms to meet defined standards of fair work in the absence of regulation (Graham et. al., 2020). Covid-19 and Worker Strikes Across Latin America Histories of profound social inequality mean precarious working conditions are already normalised in many Latin American countries, however so are legacies of labour resistance. In Brazil, many have worked in insecure jobs, as couriers, cleaners and drivers, for a long time before the advent of digital labour platforms. Nevertheless recent years have witnessed the further erosion of public provision of social security, education, health, and labour rights, paving the way for the gig economy model of algorithmically-managed insecure work to become widespread. As President Jair Bolsonaro pronounced early in his term; ‘workers will have to choose between more rights or more jobs’ (in Araujo & Murakawa, 2020). Covid-19 has further heightened the precarity faced by gig workers (Fairwork, 2020). In the gig economy, workers disproportionately bear both the risks, and the costs associated with the labour process (Fredman et. al., 2020). For delivery drivers, the risk of contracting the virus is now added to the everpresent risk of road accidents. Additionally, restaurant closures have increased the risk of non-payment, and deactivation. At the centre of this issue is the practice of classifying workers as independent contractors. Because gig workers are not classified as...