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- Uber blocks pay increase; no tip - no delivery; and more holiday hijinx
Uber blocks pay increase; no tip - no delivery; and more holiday hijinx
We expect that 2023 will be the year of the gig life. Higher consumer demand will fuel gig marketplaces, motivating more people to take control of their careers by joining the ranks of gig workers, and in turn adding fuel to the fight for better working conditions.
Finish the Year Off Strong
There are just 3 days left in 2022, and a lot of gig workers are racking up miles and deliveries (and hopefully more generous tips) to end the year on a high note. It’s a great time to reflect on the past 12 months and to make plans for the year ahead.
We expect that 2023 will be the year of the gig life. Higher consumer demand will fuel gig marketplaces, motivating more people to take control of their careers by joining the ranks of gig workers, and in turn adding fuel to the fight for better working conditions.
We can spend more time discussing all of that next year. For now, let’s focus on how to make the next few days our best of 2022.
Our friends at Gridwise created this awesome guide on how to make the most of holiday gigs and the New Year’s Eve hustle. Now, depending on the app you’re working on, you may have to consider other tactics, but the one thing that’s for sure is there’s surge pricing to be had on many rideshare and delivery apps.
A couple of extra ideas from The Gig Life to consider:
Protect the inside of your car if you’re picking up drunk passengers on New Year’s Eve.
Staple a “Happy Holidays!” note to your food delivery bags, and maybe specify “Tips Help Make My Holidays Special”
Now, let’s take a look at what’s been happening in the gig economy over the past few weeks of the year.
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Top Headlines
This week's top headlines from the Gig Economy
Uber drivers strike in New York City after company blocks pay increases
Things are getting heated in the Big Apple as Uber drivers have been going head-to-head with the New York City Tax & Limousine Commission over an approved pay raise for drivers that Uber is contesting. The critical question at the heart of this debate is how far Uber can raise its rates for drivers before the service becomes too expensive for customers.
We’re always encouraged to see gig workers banding together to ask for a better deal.
‘What a waste of food’: Man finds 5 Wingstop bags of no-tip DoorDash orders dumped on side of road
No tip, no wings! Although speculating, this TikToker assumes these DoorDash orders were never picked up because there was no tip set for the Dasher. This story highlights how critical tips are for the livelihoods of Dashers and gig workers more broadly.
Let your customers know. On DoorDash, it sounds like the magic number is a minimum of $2.50 to make sure your order doesn’t get abandoned on the side of the road.
Meet the St. Petersburg Uber driver making each trip a Christmas adventure
Here’s hoping you enjoyed your Christmas as much as this guy! Meet the St. Petersburg (FL) Uber driver who made sure everyone getting in and out of his car was feeling the holiday spirit.
The battle over gig worker status is heating up
Remember Prop 22 in California? That feels like an eternity ago (2020), but don’t think this debate is going away any time soon. 2023 will likely see a continued focus by the Federal and State governments on the employment classification of gig workers. It’ll be critical in the new year that gig workers have their voices directly heard in this argument, as it seems there are a lot of “interest groups” speaking on your behalf.
Video Spotlight
What we're watching this week at The Gig Life
Jo_Ezzy Delivers - Earn by Time
In this video Jo_Ezzy Delivers tests out DoorDash’s new “Earn by Time” feature. This is a super timely video considering the ongoing debates around whether gig workers are employees or independent contractors. Companies like DoorDash are starting to test a model where they’d pay workers by the hour instead of by the gig. Let’s see how that plays out and whether customers still tip to make it worthwhile.
What Should We Cover?
We love to chat with gig workers. Let us know what kind of news and articles are relevant to you so we can help to deliver the content you need.
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