Uber drivers
Uber Started March 2009 in united states, started to expand internationally in 2011. Uber alone now has 27,000 workers but Is it beneficial to be self employed as an Uber driver.
In the article by Jim Stanford “bring your own equipment and wait for work: working for uber is a lot like being a dock worker a century ago” He talks about the gig economy and how it has amazingly grown so much around the world. I for one had been using Uber for about a year and I have been satisfied every time by the services they had offered. Some Uber drivers do this for a living, some is extra dollars in they’re pocket. There are many concerns in being an Uber driver, such as minimum wage, unstable work schedules, danger in the job and lack of proper equipment.
This is a risking job to have. Some have old cars and technology. If your car or technology breaks, they will be unemployed until they can have it repaired which costs more now a days or if one has an accident there is no insurance to cover the car repair and medical insurance if your injured. Plus while your not working no pay is coming in to support yourself and family.
So, is it beneficial to be self employed as an Uber driver? The answer is no, Uber drivers do not have benefits. No steadying income and is just not worth it to be an Uber driver without pension or union.
I would like to add how I am amazed how much gig work has grown so much in our country and very proud of Uber and they’re work for us. Hopefully someday they will be considered as employees and not just contract workers.

References
https://www.investopedia.com/articles/personal-finance/111015/story-uber.asp
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What an interesting and fitting topic for our time! I agree, Uber has really taken off in the past couple of years and with this fast paced expansion internationally, it is hard to know what the potential risks and benefits to becoming an Uber driver is at this point. With Uber drivers being contract workers, it does pose some negative issues as they are responsible for their own costs, safety, and coverage. I see that the article mentions a disproportionate amount of Uber drivers come from immigrant communities. You mentioned the danger that comes with this job and I imagine that there is an increased risk due to racism and xenophobia as majority of Uber drivers are immigrants or from racialized backgrounds. Do you know of any Uber policies in place in terms of discrimination and if they would be covered under the Human Rights Act (Legislative Services Branch, 2020)?
Legislative Services Branch. (2020, February 7). Consolidated federal laws of canada, Canadian Human Rights Act. Retrieved from https://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/acts/h-6/
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Hi Sarah,
I really enjoyed reading your post. I agree with you that gig workers should be considered as an employee instead of independent contractors as they can receive more benefits. Being an independent contractor as uber workers have many downsides as they must pay their own taxes, pay own healthcare plan and save for retirement on their own. With less than minimum wage, it is too much burden especially for those who work full time as uber driver. The lack of job security and workers’ rights is one of the most severe problems that could arise from participating in the gig economy. I hope uber workers are going to be considered as employees someday as well as it is one of the best ways to protect these vulnerable workers.
Thank you for sharing your blog post!
Elsie
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Hi Sarah,
You have proposed some interesting ideas in regards to gig work. You emphasized the drawbacks associated with this work type, and after having read all that, I am curious to know what aspect of this work you think persuades people to pursue such careers. Knowing the employment and financial instability associated with this type of work, why do you think people are still drawn to it, especially knowing how companies such as Uber have expanded and become so prevalent in todays society. Also, do you think this type of work is ever ideal? Personally, I think pursuing a career as an Uber driver, for instance, may be ideal for young adults who are looking to make some money while trying to balance school simultaneously. The ability to essentially make your own hours would allow a student to predominantly focus on academics while having some source of income. Surprisingly, however, I have found from personal experience that many people pursuing these careers are not of this age bracket, and are in fact often ranging from approximately 30-50 years old. Based on this, perhaps gig work is often used as a means of earning a second income as opposed to being the primary income source for these individuals. Great post!
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