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Instacart’s gig workers are planning a nationwide strike

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Re: Instacart’s gig workers are planning a nationwide strike

#41

Post by briandear »

claudeganon wrote: post #29
bogomipz wrote: post #23

From the Instacart post linked in the article: >"As we previously shared, we’re offering up to 14 days of pay for any hourly employee or full-service shopper who is diagnosed with COVID-19 or placed in individual mandatory isolation or quarantine, as directed by a local, state, or public health authority."[1] So there is no benefits for workers who develop symptoms and self isolate? This statement reads like you have…

It’s a joke. I know people who have been to the ER with severe symptoms who were turned away without testing (mostly because they’re young and “expected” to recover). Every company that’s using testing as a precondition for benefits, when testing has been widely reported to be unavailable, is despicable.

I went to Stanford last weekend with a slight fever and sore throat and was tested and had results in about 16 hours. You could go right now and get tested there if you have symptoms. It’s an anecdote, sure, but the idea that people can’t get tested isn’t completely true.

Re: Instacart’s gig workers are planning a nationwide strike

#42

Post by joejohnson »

jefftk wrote: post #34

Unfortunately for these workers, with the unprecedented spike in unemployment [1] I suspect Instacart will be able to find a lot of desperate people willing to cross the picket line. [1] https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/ICSA

The Instacart workers should encourage any scabs to instead join the strike so they can work together to demand better wages and conditions.

Re: Instacart’s gig workers are planning a nationwide strike

#43

Post by markdown »

cameronfraser wrote: post #40

Everlane workers tried to form a union and they were all fired https://twitter.com/EverlaneU/status/1243615472307695618 When there are a ton of people looking for work it is not really a good time to be striking

Thank god I don't live in a society where people get fired for unionising.

I don't understand how such a thing happens in any democratic society.

Do workers really not like the idea of collective bargaining, or are there more business owners than workers in your state/country?

Re: Instacart’s gig workers are planning a nationwide strike

#44

Post by Ericson2314 »

Matticus_Rex wrote: post #32
xenihn wrote: post #28

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I hope you realize this is the same argument used in support of child labor.

And in countries where children need income to eat, we've seen that banning child labor pushes children into the sex trade, because they don't stop needing to eat when you make it illegal for them to work. Hardly a good example of why the argument is wrong.

Actually it is. The labor market on its own cannot ensure a dignified existence—if the supply is to big people will stoop. Banning jobs doesn't help much yes, but that doesn't mean the market on its own is good.

The action that does help is shrinking the supply. UBI so less need to work, or need to work as much.

Re: Instacart’s gig workers are planning a nationwide strike

#45

Post by aleksaxyz »

joejohnson wrote: post #42
jefftk wrote: post #34

Unfortunately for these workers, with the unprecedented spike in unemployment [1] I suspect Instacart will be able to find a lot of desperate people willing to cross the picket line. [1] https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/ICSA

The Instacart workers should encourage any scabs to instead join the strike so they can work together to demand better wages and conditions.

How do they find these new workers? Wait for them out at the grocery stores?

Re: Instacart’s gig workers are planning a nationwide strike

#46

Post by eli_gottlieb »

briandear wrote: post #41
claudeganon wrote: post #29

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It’s a joke. I know people who have been to the ER with severe symptoms who were turned away without testing (mostly because they’re young and “expected” to recover). Every company that’s using testing as a precondition for benefits, when testing has been widely reported to be unavailable, is despicable.

I went to Stanford last weekend with a slight fever and sore throat and was tested and had results in about 16 hours. You could go right now and get tested there if you have symptoms. It’s an anecdote, sure, but the idea that people can’t get tested isn’t completely true.

I'm in Boston, and AFAIK there's nowhere I can get a test without having severe symptoms that require hospitalization.

Re: Instacart’s gig workers are planning a nationwide strike

#47

Post by anigbrowl »

aleksaxyz wrote: post #45
joejohnson wrote: post #42

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The Instacart workers should encourage any scabs to instead join the strike so they can work together to demand better wages and conditions.

How do they find these new workers? Wait for them out at the grocery stores?

Yup

Re: Instacart’s gig workers are planning a nationwide strike

#48

Post by imgabe »

Ericson2314 wrote: post #44
Matticus_Rex wrote: post #32

Earlier quoted context omitted.

And in countries where children need income to eat, we've seen that banning child labor pushes children into the sex trade, because they don't stop needing to eat when you make it illegal for them to work. Hardly a good example of why the argument is wrong.

Actually it is. The labor market on its own cannot ensure a dignified existence—if the supply is to big people will stoop. Banning jobs doesn't help much yes, but that doesn't mean the market on its own is good. The action that does help is shrinking the supply. UBI so less need to work, or need to work as much.

Nobody can ensure dignity for someone else. You either conduct yourself with dignity or you don't.

Re: Instacart’s gig workers are planning a nationwide strike

#49

Post by anigbrowl »

tryptophan wrote: post #19
wpietri wrote: post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I can only gather you don't know many gig workers. The ones I've talked to aren't doing it for fun. They're desperate.

Great. Lets ban gig work and make sure that instead of a crappy income they have no income!

Is that your idea of a constructive contribution?

Re: Instacart’s gig workers are planning a nationwide strike

#50

Post by mcgoo »

aleksaxyz wrote: post #45
joejohnson wrote: post #42

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The Instacart workers should encourage any scabs to instead join the strike so they can work together to demand better wages and conditions.

How do they find these new workers? Wait for them out at the grocery stores?

Picketing?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Picketing

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