Happy Labour Day to the Gigsters and Freelancers!

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Dear Reader, welcome to the world of the gig economy, and happy Labour Day to all the workers out there! Labour Day is a mesmerising tale of labour and work, and for gig workers, it is a reminder of the ongoing struggle for fair treatment and recognition of their contributions to the workforce. So, here’s to you, gigsters and freelance workers, and the incredible work that you do every day!

International Labour Day grew out of 19th-century working-class struggles in the United States for better working conditions and the establishment of an eight-hour workday. May 1st was chosen by the international labour movement as the day to commemorate the Haymarket massacre in May 1886. Ever since, May 1st has been a day of working-class marches and demonstrations throughout the world. Commemorating Labour Day (May Day) each year reminds us of what organised workers’ movements can achieve. Over more than a century, these struggles progressively won better conditions for labour in many countries. In the African context, African labour unions, were also a critical driving force of the anti-colonial liberation struggle, before they transformed into transmission belts of ruling parties and governments after independence. But such victories, and even such struggles, have now become much harder than they were.

As Prof. Jayati Ghosh explains, globalisation of trade, capital mobility, and financial deregulation have weakened dramatically the bargaining power of labour vis-à-vis capital. And the trouble is that, instead of workers everywhere uniting against the common enemy/oppressor, they are turned against one another. Workers are told that mobilising and organising for better conditions will simply reduce jobs because capital will move elsewhere; local residents are led to resent migrants; people are persuaded that their problems are not the result of the unjust system but are because of the “other” — defined by nationality, race, gender, class, religion, ethnic or linguistic identity. So this is a particularly challenging time for workers everywhere in the world. Confronting this challenge requires more than marches to commemorate Labour Day (May Day); it requires a complete reimagining of the idea of workers' unity and reinvention of forms of struggle.

As we move further into the 21st century, the labour market is undergoing a seismic shift. Technology is transforming the way we work, and gig economy workers are at the forefront of this revolution. The gig economy represents a fundamental shift in the way we view work and labour, offering a glimpse into what the future of work will look like. The ‘gig economy’ is reported to account for up to 12 per cent of the global labour market. While Global North countries currently dominate the demand for gig workers, reports have found that the demand in Global Majority countries is growing at a much faster rate. For example, in Sub-Saharan Africa, job postings on the largest digital platform grew by 130 per cent, while the growth rate in North America was just 14 per cent. And almost 60 per cent of firms surveyed in Global South countries reported increased outsourcing to gig workers. In Global North countries, less than half said the same. The gig economy will continue to shape the paradigm of labour and work. This new paradigm is not just about convenience and flexibility, however. It is about creating a just and sustainable future for all workers.

When we consider the fourth industrial revolution, it is critical to not lose sight of the fact that there is nothing new under the capitalist sun. Borrowing the words of feminist political economist Leah Eryenyu, we can only marvel at capitalism’s ability to reinvent itself, but with a singular purpose, to extract and accumulate. Leah explains that this unquenchable desire to extract surplus value necessarily requires the destruction of labour power. And that the digital economy’s unique power, emerges from its seeming omniscience and omnipresence, accelerating the pace of global domination, now integrating even communities that lived outside modes of capitalist production. She further avers that when we analyse the digital economy—that  “worldwide network of economic activities and transactions enabled by digital technologies”, it is important to note that labour relations of oppression under capitalism have not so much changed (the capitalist is always trying to steal from the workers); as have the conditions that undergird these relations transfigured what exploitation and extraction look like. Digital technologies have simply changed the nature of exploitation and supercharged it, exarcebating existing inequalities based on, among others, an international sexual and racial division of labour.

Behind the flashy apps and convenient services lie some not-so-nice truths. Imagine working without a safety net: no benefits, no job security while your ‘partner’, who in most cases is a multinational corporation, is shortchanging you and taking home far greater profits. Welcome to the world of precarious work conditions in the gig economy. One day you're swimming in gigs, the next day you're left high and dry. The gig economy's instability more often than not leaves workers feeling like they're tap-dancing on quicksand, never sure when the next job will come along. Gig workers also often get the short end of the stick when it comes to employee benefits and protections such as no sick leave, no health insurance, no maternity leave, no minimum wage, no retirement plans, no protection from workplace violence and harassment, among others. When your boss is a computer algorithm, "office politics" takes on a whole new meaning. The gig economy's reliance on algorithms to assign tasks and monitor workers has raised concerns about worker autonomy, fair treatment, discrimination based on existing inequalities, digital surveillance and data extractivism. It's like having a digital overlord watching your every move, except this overlord doesn't care if you take a bathroom break or have a snack. Debates on the misclassification and employment status of gig workers are also a major point of concern with Big Tech companies hiding behind precarious contracts to deny workers their rights and protections. The classification of gig workers, as either independent contractors or employees, isn’t a semantic debate and can determine their access to benefits like minimum wage, healthcare, paid leave, and unemployment insurance.

Yet, optimism persists. The use of digital tools has energised the fight for workers’ rights. A new wave of organising is emerging for improved working conditions, with workers creating unions and movements opposing precarious contracting or freelancing jobs. From grassroots movements like app-based drivers’ unions in Nigeria, Kenya, Ghana, and Tanzania, on-demand delivery workers’ unions and domestic workers cooperatives in South Africa, to formal organisations, gig workers across the world are joining forces to amplify their voices and demand the respect and rights they deserve. It's like a digital-age uprising, but with less pitchforks and more hashtags. Unionising gig workers isn't a walk in the park; as feminist political economist Leah Eryenyu asserts, there has been a universalisation and proliferation of poor labour practices through platform work with big platform companies bending, even markets that had decent labour protections to their will, with impunity. But where there's a will, there's a way, and gig workers are making strides in collective action to advocate for their rights.

Amid technological splendour, Labour Day comes as a reminder that the struggle for social justice and feminist futures persists and we are encouraged not to rest on our laurels but rather to prepare for future struggles. It is a day to renew our resolve to stand up for equitable treatment in the workplace, whether in the real or virtual world. The same struggles workers have confronted over centuries remain the same and only now take on various forms. Remembering the values of labour and workers’ rights is essential as we navigate the challenges of the digital age. Labour Day serves as a timely reminder that, despite technological advancements, we must not give up the struggle for equality and liberation. “No one is free until everyone is free.” And so, let us honour and remember the sacrifices made by workers now and in the past and do our part to ensure everyone’s labour is valued, respected and receives their just share. Looking ahead, we can still hope to create a world where work is genuinely honoured anytime and everywhere.

~ Happy Labour Day!

Najjuko Joanita (Joey)- Digital Economies and the Future of Work Lead, The Nawi Afrifem Collective