The Gig Economy Project

Germany is Europe’s largest economy, and it’s also a key site for Europe’s digital labour platforms, both as a major market and a source of venture capital funding for start-up’s in the gig economy. Berlin, in particular, is the second most popular city in Europe for venture capital funding, and is the home of Delivery Hero, one of the world’s largest food delivery platforms, and Gorillas, the fir...

France has been the beating heart of many of the great labour disputes of the past, and now it is at the centre of the debate over the future of work in Europe’s digital economy. Last week, the French Parliament passed a ‘social dialogue law’, which President Emmanuel Macron’s government says will provide a basis for ‘independent’ gig workers to negotiate with the food delivery and ride-hail platf...

The Stuart Delivery strike is the longest ever in the UK’s gig economy. Initially running for 18 days from 6-24 December, it re-started again on 10 January. Starting in Sheffield, the strike spread to six towns and cities across the north of England, and the couriers, members of the IWGB union, plan to continue until their demands for higher pay are met. In this Gig Economy Project podcast we are...

The Gig Economy Project spoke to Alex Marshall, President of the Independent Workers’ Union of Great Britain (IWGB) and former delivery courier. This podcast was first published 27/01/21. You can read a text version of this interview here . 

Can self-employed workers help rejuvenate trade unionism in Europe? Martin Willems thinks so. Willems is responsible for the United Freelancers section of the ACV-CSC union, which represents 1.5 million workers in Belgium, and has been at the forefront of efforts to organise gig workers. He made the case at two major gig economy conferences in Brussels at the end of October that unions must take s...

A burgeoning literature is seeking to understand 21st century capitalism from the perspective of work, the working class and class struggle. This ‘workerism’ tradition, historically associated with Italian marxism in the 1960s, starts from the workplace to identify where workers have power and how they can maximise it. Robert Ovetz is one of those contributing to renewing this tradition of labour...

How has the pandemic changed the gig economy? The Gig Economy Project spoke to Fair Work researcher Kelle Howson to find out. This podcast was first published on 17/08/21.  To read a text version of this podcast, click here . 

The Gig Economy Project spoke to Zeynep Karlıdağ, rider at food delivery company Gorillas and member of the Gorillas’ Workers Collective, about their wave of wildcat strikes and warehouse blockades in Berlin. This podcast was first posted on 20/07/21. You can click here to read a text version of this podcast.

Podcast with José Domingo Roselló of the Unión General de Trabajadores (UGT), which published a report into the pro-platform, astroturf movement of riders called 'Si, soy autonomo' which is against trade union and workers' rights for food delivery couriers in Spain. This podcast was first published on 01/06/21. You can read the text version of this podcast here .

Leïla Chaibi, the France Insoumise MEP, who sits on the European Parliament’s ‘committee on employment and social affairs’, published a draft proposal for a Directive on the regulation of platform workers across Europe on behalf of The Left Group in November. The proposal sought to put a marker down to Brussels, as the European Commission – the non-elected body which has power to initiate legislat...

The Gig Economy Project spoke to the European Trade Union Confederation’s Secretary Ludovic Voet about the EU Commission’s platform work directive, trade union organising in the gig economy, and whether the present moment is one for a revival of trade unionism in Europe. This podcast was first published on 31/10/21. To read a text version of this podcast, click here . 

Brussels-based Anne Dufresne, co-author of new book "App Workers United - The Struggle for Rights in the Gig Economy", tells the Gig Economy Project that the EU Commission's track record of 'deconstructing the social rights of member-states', means we should expect the worst when it comes to their platform work directive in December. This podcast was originally published on 25/12/21. To read the t...

Nuria Soto, del movimiento 'RidersXDerechos', dice al Gig Economy Project que la Ley Riders tiene sus problemas pero ha creado una "base para la lucha" más fácil. Publicado por primera vez 30/10/21. Leer este articulo aquí . To read in English, click here .

En este podcast de 9/10/21, el Gig Economy Project habla con el líder de Élite Taxi Barcelona, Alberto ‘Tito’ Álvarez, sobre cómo el sindicato ha sido tan eficaz para mantener a Uber fuera de la capital catalana.  Leer el articulo, aquí . To read in English, click here .