‘Companies exploit labour laws while employing incomprehensible Artificial Intelligence-driven algorithms to manage workers’
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In the midst of the continuous evolution of the concept of “gig workers”, there was a groundbreaking movement in India recently — a nationwide digital strike this Deepavali that was organised by women gig workers. This was a call made by the Gig and Platform Services Workers Union (GIPSWU), India’s first union that is dedicated primarily to women gig workers. The strike sought gig worker and service user solidarity across the country and the world on the issue of exploitative and abusive labour practices.
A case of exploitation
An online search reveals the extent to which platform companies have been offering countless discounted offers during this festive season. But where do these discounts originate from? Gig workers want to make this clear — they come at the expense of their wages and are a result of near-slavery-like working conditions.
But do consumers or the government care about this? Instead, the manufactured narrative seems to be on how young people are finding employment through these “unicorn” startups. Why are we not questioning how these startups achieve such rapid growth? The truth is that the expansion of platform startups is being fuelled by the exploitation of platform-based gig workers and venture capital firms that are keen to supply money endlessly with no requirement of a sustainable profit model.
Readers must be aware of a controversial piece of conversation in October this year between the CEO of one of the largest platform companies and a stand-up comic and satirist. The satirist had highlighted deficiencies in the company’s products and services on social media and had challenged the CEO to take responsibility. But the satirist faced bullying instead. Prominent figures, which included a senior journalist, called the satirist a traitor while praising the CEO as a “nation’s wealth creator”. But is the CEO of this well-known platform really a wealth creator? Or is he profiting from the exploitation of gig workers? And how do we see the role of gig workers? Are they not also contributing to nation building by providing cheap labour? Why cannot we consider ‘labour exploitation’ to be an anti- national act? It is a fact that informal economy workers contribute over 60% of India’s GDP.
For the writers of this article, this moment is pivotal — women gig workers chose the auspicious day of Deepavali to initiate a digital strike, calling it a “Black Diwali”. The response was overwhelming, with media coverage, and support from gig workers and citizen’s forums. However, women workers are aware that this is a long battle as their demands are missing from mainstream labour discourse. They advocate having secure and dignified employment and stricter regulations on platform companies. Governments and larger gig worker organisations seem to focus only on minimal social security measures which are often just a little more than repackaged charity schemes than actual constitutional entitlements. It is essential to remember that workers have fought for over a century for appropriate working hours, safe conditions, living wages, and secure employment norms.
One-sided ‘auto-assigned’ jobs
Digital platforms have perpetuated age-old patriarchal structures, limiting women to jobs that have been historically designated — beauticians, cooks, and housekeepers. Job security for women often hinges on ratings and the acceptance of “auto-assigned” jobs. If they refuse these exploitative norms, they face being blocked or, in effect, “illegally terminated”. This creates a dystopian reality wherein individuals are constantly rated and reduced to being mere numbers.
Many GIPSWU members are divorced, single mothers, or survivors of domestic violence, seeking refuge in platform jobs due to a lack of employment alternatives. Companies are aware and cash in on the fact that this is a pool of cheap labour that will remain available, making unionisation ineffective against their profit-driven models. They exploit labour laws while employing incomprehensible Artificial Intelligence-driven algorithms to manage workers.
Under the guise of offering “freedom” to choose working hours and attain financial independence, gig economy platforms entice women with promises of balancing work and family commitments. However, this ‘autonomy’ has a hidden side to it. Women often feel pressured to meet unrealistic targets while juggling the demands of gig work. In return for a misleading sense of control over their schedules, they face heavy financial burdens, including transportation costs, necessary service products, and platform fees. This is a system that fails to provide equitable returns, leaving many without essential earnings or social security benefits.
This is bizarre. The state lacks systems to prevent companies from having anti-labour practices, and in the absence of data privacy laws, allows these platform giants to thrive while perpetuating a rudimentary feminisation of labour. This deeply embedded patriarchal structure hinders women workers in India from having basic human and labour rights. It is a matter of shame that so many women are struggling when there are campaigns at the national level with slogans such as “Beti Bachao Beti Padhao”.
Women have yet to escape the cycle of exploitation that many unicorn startups resort to in their claims to be fostering economic empowerment and addressing India’s unemployment crisis. The reality is that women have fallen into a more complex cycle of exploitation — one where conventional patriarchy merges with digital patriarchy, leading to profound economic exploitation.
Grassroot power
GIPSWU must pursue a long-term agenda with a nuanced strategy. This digital strike has bolstered worker confidence and has shown pathways that will lead to victories. The writers have been told that no such assertion of dissent has been seen anywhere else in the world before and that it is a proud moment. There is no substitute for grass-roots organising, and we understand its power. It is only which can help us conduct negotiations for suitable policies and laws in the future. Gig workers around the world are watching, and we will not let them down.
Seema Singh is a gig worker from New Delhi. Nisha Panwar is a gig worker from Mumbai. Selvi is a gig worker from Bengaluru. Chandan Kumar is a labour activist based in Pune. The writers are founders of the Gig and Platform Services Workers Union (GIPSWU)
Published – November 11, 2024 12:08 am IST
