What is the gig economy and why is it so controversial?

[Reading level: B2 – Upper Intermediate]

What do delivery couriers and Uber drivers have in common? They’re all part of the gig economy, and their work may lead to new labour laws if the governments heed the calls for changes.

Why is it called the gig economy? – Tại sao lại gọi nó là gig economy?

The gig economy gets its name from each piece of work being akin to an individual ‘gig‘ – although, such work can fall under multiple names. It has previously been called the “sharing economy” — mostly in reference to platforms such as Airbnb — and the “collaborative economy”. However, at its core are app-based platforms that dole out work in bits and pieces — making deliveries, driving passengers or cleaning homes — leading some to prefer the term “platform economy”.

Not all gig economy roles are based around a technology platform. Gig economy workers can also work for more traditional companies, which have changed how their staffing system operates. Delivery drivers for Hermes, for example, also work on a piece-by-piece delivery basis, though their employer does not have the tech startup origins often associated with this type of work.

What about zero-hour contracts? – Vậy còn các hợp đồng không giờ thì sao?

Gig-economy work and zero-hour contracts have similarities. Both treat workers as contractors and offer no guarantee of pay, but gig economy roles are normally paid per piece — such as a set rate to deliver a package or drive a fare to a location — while zero-hours contracts are paid hourly, but with no set minimum. Both are the result of companies trying to cut or limit staffing costs, and can leave workers unsure how much they’ll earn.

What’s the problem with the gig economy? – Đâu là vấn đề của nền kinh tế chia sẻ?

The companies ruling the gig economy say they bring the flexibility to work whenever you like. Critics — which include many of those working for the companies — argue that not only do workers lack protection and fair pay, but the roles aren’t as flexible as they seem, as workers are incentivised or pressured to work when the companies need them.

On top of that, workers aren’t paid benefits such as holiday or sick pay, and reports suggest some aren’t making minimum wage. A recent one suggested some gig economy workers in the UK pull in less than £2.50 an hour. That’s legally possible because gig workers aren’t seen by the companies they work for as employees but contractors — though a court ruling against Uber disagreed with that claim last year.

How can these issues be fixed? – Các vấn đề này có thể được giải quyết như thế nào?

The Taylor Review hoped to address this disconnect. It suggested the governments create a new category of worker known as a “dependent contractor” that sits between contractors and those in full-time employment, and brings with it some benefits and wage protections. The UK Trades Union Congress (TUC) has also pointed out that when employees are underpaid, the government earns less in taxes and national insurance. They calculate the loss at billions of pounds a year.

In a speech to the Trades Union Congress in September, chancellor John McDonnell said Labour government would give gig economy workers similar rights to those in permanent work, including sick pay and maternity pay. His comments, predictably, were welcomed by trade unions who have long-argued that gig economy companies have been running roughshod over workers’ rights for years.

How many people work in the gig economy? – Có bao nhiêu người làm việc trong nền kinh tế chia sẻ?

The number is difficult to judge. According to a parliamentary report, 15 percent of UK workers are self-employed – some five million people. But not all will be in what we consider to be the gig economy, as this also covers traditional freelancers and contractors.

The Chartered Institute for Professional Development estimates that there are 1.3 million Britons employed in the gig economy, while TUC says that one-in-ten British workers are in “precarious work”.

Source: https://www.wired.co.uk/article/what-is-the-gig-economy-meaning-definition-why-is-it-called-gig-economy

WORD BANK:

gig economy /ˈɡɪɡ ɪˌkɒn.ə.mi/ (n): nền kinh tế chia sẻ

delivery /dɪˈlɪv.ər.i/ [B1] (n): chuyển phát

courier /ˈkʊr.i.ər/ (n): người đưa thư, người giao hàng

heed /hiːd/ (v): chú ý đến

akin to sth /əˈkɪn/ (adj): giống với cái gì

gig /ɡɪɡ/ (n – informal): công việc

platform /ˈplæt.fɔːm/ (n): nền tảng

core /kɔːr/ [C2] (n): cốt lõi

dole out sth /doʊl/ (v): trả tiền cho cái gì

bits and pieces [C2] (expression – informal): việc lặt vặt

associated with sth /əˈsəʊ.si.eɪ.tɪd/ (adj): có liên hệ với

fare /feər/ [B1] (n): tiền vé sử dụng phương tiện giao thông

contractor /kənˈtræk.tər/ (n): nhà thầu

flexible /ˈflek.sə.bəl/ [B2] (adj): linh hoạt

critic /ˈkrɪt.ɪk/ [C1] (n): người chỉ trích

incentivise /ɪnˈsen.tɪ.vaɪz/ (v): khuyến khích

pull in /pʊl/ (v): kiếm được (tiền)

category /ˈkæt.ə.ɡri/ [B2] (n): tiêu chí, kiểu

Trade Union /ˌtreɪd ˈjuː.ni.ən/ (n): Công đoàn

chancellor /ˈtʃɑːn.səl.ər/ [C2] (n): người đứng đầu một tổ chức chính trị, đảng phái

sick pay /ˈsɪk ˌpeɪ/ (n): trợ cấp ốm đau

maternity pay /məˈtɜː.nə.ti ˌpeɪ/ (n): lương thai sản

predictable /prɪˈdɪk.tə.bəl/ [B2] (adj): dễ đoán

roughshod (adj, adv): thô bạo

judge /dʒʌdʒ/ [B1] (v): đánh giá

parliament /ˈpɑː.lɪ.mənt/ [B2] (n): quốc hội  

freelancer /ˈfriːlɑːnsər/ (n): người làm việc tự do

precarious /prɪˈkeə.ri.əs/ (adj): bấp bênh

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