Drivers' protest, 12-11-15
When Shadow Chancellor
John McDonnell speaks of an army
of self-employed workers who have been casualised by the internet,
he could be talking about the 100 or so Uber drivers who protested
outside the company's London HQ last week (above). But he could also
have been talking about some of the freelance photographers
documenting their demonstration, hoping to make a sale through one of
the big online news photo agencies.
The positions of the
two groups are remarkably similar: both provide their own, expensive,
equipment; neither have guaranteed hours of work or income; in both
cases, terms, conditions and rates are set by the company; and in
both cases there seems to be an endless supply of service deliverers
struggling to make a living from ever-decreasing rates of pay. The
drivers' protest, sparked by an imposed 5% increase in commission,
was not the first time they have lost out financially through changes
imposed from above.
In a way, Uber is quite
honest about its role. The big photo agencies hide behind bland
titles. The names of Alamy, Getty, Corbis and the rest promise
nothing. Perhaps only Demotix hints at some sort of (non-existent)
egalitarian enterprise.
But although Uber calls
its drivers 'partners', the company's real relationship to its
workforce is pretty much as described by its moniker. In German, of
course.
Many of the drivers
have now joined the GMB. Hopefully collective action, with its
backing, will bring results. It would be good to see photographers
attempt something similar.
More pictures here.
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