Women make less, tips get buried and Amazon uses a blob. LegalRideshare breaks it down.
A new study reveals that women make less than men in the gig economy. Business Insider reported:
About 23% of Lyft drivers and 20% of Uber drivers are women, according to the most recent company data provided to Business Insider. In 2021, the number of women Uber drivers nearly doubled and surpassed pre-pandemic levels.
A 2020 study by Stanford researchers found that women who worked as ride-hailing drivers earned roughly 7% less per hour, on average, than male drivers. Among the researchers' explanations for this disparity: Men had more experience using driving platforms, they tended to drive faster (enabling them to complete more trips), and they were more likely to drive in areas with greater safety risks.
Uber has decided to bury tipping options in NYC. Bloomberg reported:
The obligatory base rate for delivery workers of at least $17.96 an hour, which went into effect Dec. 4, has resulted in higher overall earnings in the first week, according to receipts from drivers sent to Bloomberg and posted on social media sites. But to compensate for the added costs, Uber Technologies Inc., DoorDash Inc. and Grubhub, owned by Just Eat Takeaway.com NV, have made changes to their apps that workers say will reduce their hours and could limit earnings potential in the long run.
One of the most controversial changes concerns tipping. As a result of the new law, Uber and DoorDash said they'll have to pass increased costs on to consumers in the form of added fees. So as not to overwhelm customers, both companies moved the prompt for tipping on the app to appear after customers have already placed their orders, which could mean fewer tips for drivers. DoorDash said the move is necessary “to ensure our platform remains affordable for all New Yorkers.”
Amazon workers facing financial hardships were given some advice: talk to our blob. Business Insider reported:
An Amazon warehouse told workers they could write to the company's orange blob of a mascot if they're facing financial hardship around the holidays, according to a new report, and at least one employee at the warehouse is criticizing the initiative as tone deaf.
“Are you or someone you know facing financial hardship this holiday season?” the flyer read, according to The Guardian. “Peccy wants to help! Write a letter to Peccy. If the Peccy team selects you, some of your holiday wishes could come true!”
Keith Williams, a worker at the Amazon SWF1 warehouse who spoke to The Guardian, criticized the initiative. To him, Amazon could be spending more money on “giving us the safety and security of a living wage” and less on company initiatives like Peccy.
Along with the pay and hours, an April study from Strategic Organizing Center found that in 2022 the rate of worker injuries at Amazon was 70% higher than those at similar warehouses, and the rate of serious injuries was double that of other warehouses.
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