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Revolt of the Delivery Workers

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Re: Revolt of the Delivery Workers

#11

Post by michaelscott »

michaelmrose wrote: post #7

These workers by and large aren't carrying money worth stealing they are being robbed of expensive e-bikes. If these bikes were configured to become inoperable if they couldn't either phone home or talk to the users device then there would be no point in stealing them because nobody would buy them. The end user could authorize their own new devices unless they lost access to both devices and info needed to do so and…

There are a number of reasons this wouldn't work, especially once the thieves have figured this out. They'll then be incentivised to stop the bike for both the phone and the bike, and before you as the driver were able to remote block both items would have been bricked by the thieves. It's easy to take apart an electric bike, especially the ones that have been customised.

Agreed with the treating of employees properly though, these guys go through the ringer just from regular customers and order systems I can't imagine adding thieves to the mix.

Re: Revolt of the Delivery Workers

#12

Post by solnyshok »

sbacic wrote: post #10

I'm curious - why is there no open source solution to replace these apps? If not with full functionality, then at least with 80% of the features? The day to day running of the system for each particular market could be handled by an NGO, a cooperative or something of the sort.

by Guild (by Union)?

Re: Revolt of the Delivery Workers

#13

Post by pjc50 »

zelos wrote: post #9
michaelmrose wrote: post #7

These workers by and large aren't carrying money worth stealing they are being robbed of expensive e-bikes. If these bikes were configured to become inoperable if they couldn't either phone home or talk to the users device then there would be no point in stealing them because nobody would buy them. The end user could authorize their own new devices unless they lost access to both devices and info needed to do so and…

That's a good idea, although this: "He reported both to the police, but the cases went nowhere, an experience common enough that many workers have concluded calling 911 is a waste of time." Is so frustrating. The theft of thousands of dollars worth of equipment with the threat of violence in a known location and the police aren't interested?

Yes? Especially if it's a bike. Police are incredibly bad at handling low-level property crime.

Re: Revolt of the Delivery Workers

#14

Post by bjackman »

sbacic wrote: post #10

I'm curious - why is there no open source solution to replace these apps? If not with full functionality, then at least with 80% of the features? The day to day running of the system for each particular market could be handled by an NGO, a cooperative or something of the sort.

I have actually thought about this a lot. I think the answer to your actual question (why not?) is obvious: people with the capital+skills to start this up do not have a solid profit motive. People who would benefit from it don't have capital+skills.

However I think setting up something like a worker-owned cooperative to replace various gig economy companies would be a really cool project. Honestly if such a service existed, and my friends continued to use the (cheaper) VC-subsidised option, I'd ostracize them for it.

Re: Revolt of the Delivery Workers

#16

Post by dbuder »

"For years, bike activists and workers pushed for legalization, though the apps that benefited from them were largely silent. It was only when another group of tech companies — hoping to make scooter-sharing legal — joined the fight that a bill moved forward in Albany."

Re: Revolt of the Delivery Workers

#17

Post by zelos »

pjc50 wrote: post #13
zelos wrote: post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That's a good idea, although this: "He reported both to the police, but the cases went nowhere, an experience common enough that many workers have concluded calling 911 is a waste of time." Is so frustrating. The theft of thousands of dollars worth of equipment with the threat of violence in a known location and the police aren't interested?

Yes? Especially if it's a bike. Police are incredibly bad at handling low-level property crime.

It's hardly low-level property crime:

"...food-delivery workers returning home after their shifts have been violently attacked there for their bikes: by gunmen pulling up on motorcycles, by knife-wielding thieves leaping from the recesses..."

Those are crimes that carry multi-year prison sentences.

Re: Revolt of the Delivery Workers

#18

Post by awild »

hollerith wrote: post #5

There is no revolt, is there?

At least in Germany (and France afaik) riders have been fighting towards unionization, better treatment, and even ownership (see: https://kolyma2.coopcycle.org/de/)

Gorillas especially has been hit hard with literal revolt by riders, which let to some pretty amusing press conferences by their CEO.

Re: Revolt of the Delivery Workers

#19

Post by jsmith99 »

sbacic wrote: post #10

I'm curious - why is there no open source solution to replace these apps? If not with full functionality, then at least with 80% of the features? The day to day running of the system for each particular market could be handled by an NGO, a cooperative or something of the sort.

Because it would not be competitive? Most of these apps are loss making. An open source solution wouldn't involve VCs subsidising your deliveries.

Re: Revolt of the Delivery Workers

#20

Post by null_object »

pjc50 wrote: post #13
zelos wrote: post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That's a good idea, although this: "He reported both to the police, but the cases went nowhere, an experience common enough that many workers have concluded calling 911 is a waste of time." Is so frustrating. The theft of thousands of dollars worth of equipment with the threat of violence in a known location and the police aren't interested?

Yes? Especially if it's a bike. Police are incredibly bad at handling low-level property crime.

> Police are incredibly bad at handling low-level property crime.

These are somehow strange and inexplicable societal values concerning crime.

A cycle blog here in Sweden recently had an article on several really simple measures that could be taken to help curtail bike theft (which is epidemic) but neither the police, insurance companies or reselling sites were interested in their suggestions. Bikes can be worth the equivalent of thousands of dollars.

Last week I was walking into a grocery store when 4 police were arresting a guy who looked very dejected, and I asked an assistant what had happened she said he was caught stealing a piece of meat.

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