Here are their demands:
<a href="https://medium.com/@GigWorkersCollective/instacart-emergency-walk-off-ebdf11b6995a" rel="nofollow">https://medium.com/@GigWorkersCollective/instacart-emergency...</a><p>- Safety precautions at no cost to workers — PPE (at minimum hand sanitizer, disinfectant wipes/sprays and soap).<p>- Hazard pay — an extra $5 per order and defaulting the in-app tip amount to at least 10% of the order total.<p>- An extension and expansion of pay for workers impacted by COVID-19 — anyone who has a doctor’s note for either a preexisting condition that’s a known risk factor or requiring a self-quarantine.<p>- The deadline to qualify for these benefits must be extended beyond April 8th.
A lot of times these people are making well below minimum wage, and even that is a hilariously low number.<p>I want the people delivering my food to be healthy, stable, and financially secure. Don't you?
I've worked lots of these jobs in my time. Here is what I would feel better about:<p>1.) Everyone gets fever checked at the door starting shift. Fever people go home.<p>2.) Scheduling is devised to segregate employees into non-overlapping groups. We're a work family and we work together in some area. Whatever has to be done to the schedule or even the job details itself to effect this, as far as possible, is done. The goal is to make each family unit as small and physically localized as possible.<p>3.) Obviously, everyone gets a mask when they become available. If you happen to have access to a mask, then bring it and use it- you're protecting yourself and everyone else around you (from you). (Woodworkers, potters, construction and cement workers etc. normally had a ready supply of N95 and N100 masks on hand in the beforetime).<p>4.) Hourly hand washing-sanitizing or whatever your skin can bear.<p>5.) Social distancing rules apply to customers and employees both (thinking of grocery stores here) communicated through signage, flyers and serious verbal intervention if needed.<p>4.) Employees are authorized and ordered to do what they have to do to keep their personal distance from obtuse / heedless / intruding public without respecting usual rules of "courtesy" and without fear of management discipline. So also between employees.<p>5.) Delivery people live outside, w/ exception of bathroom breaks, which can also be taken at delivery people's residences, where practical.<p>6.) Deliveries are assembled and placed outside by inside people.<p>7.) Inside people do not get close to outside people.<p>8.) Outside people do not get close to customers, including inside customers homes, enclosed porches, etc.<p>Knowledgeable healthcare professionals please improve this.
In addition to the healthcare workers, we're going to look back a few years from now and recognize all the delivery drivers, package handlers, and grocery store cashiers as the "First Responders" of this crisis.
Wouldn't it be a better idea to pressure the state Govt to pass laws or executive orders to mandate that Companies provide benefits such as Hazard Pay, PPE for workers, Paid Sick Leave instead of striking and attempting to pressure Instacart / Amazon ?<p>There's a record number of unemployed people right now [1] and, if some workers strike, wouldn't it be easier for companies to just hire more people ?<p>[1]:<a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-long-run-of-american-job-growth-has-ended-11585215000" rel="nofollow">https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-long-run-of-american-job-gr...</a>
This pandemic could possibly be an historical event for labor policy in the U.S. akin to the miner's strikes in the early 1900s. Laying the groundwork for labor protections, unions and the New Deal.<p><a href="https://www.iup.edu/archives/coal/unions-and-mining/the-coal-strike-of-1919-in-indiana-county-and-its-aftermath/" rel="nofollow">https://www.iup.edu/archives/coal/unions-and-mining/the-coal...</a><p><a href="https://iup.edu/archives/coal/unions-and-mining/the-windber-miners--strike-for-union-in-1922-1923/" rel="nofollow">https://iup.edu/archives/coal/unions-and-mining/the-windber-...</a>
Can anyone who isn't part of the über elite in tech actually provide a point of view on this? It is very easy for the well-off to always comment with "Not paid enough and so i always add a 25% tip on top".<p>Let's get this straight, out of the possible jobs that exist that require no experience, no education, very little mental or physical risk or exhaustion, this one ranks probably near the very top.<p>There are very many jobs that have the same requirements that don't pay as well or are very demanding physically, mentally or both. Why are some of the other jobs that have to exist quickly forgotten? Is it because of the exposure to the healthy and wealthier techie crowd?
There needs to be a corporate framework for this type of gig economy. Some structure that allows companies to pay into general benefits on a as-earned basis, without forcing the definition to be a classic "employee" which no-one (except unions) wants.<p>Ideally it should be across corporations. I know a ton of people who drive for both Uber and Lyft, depending on who pays better. Thats a critical element - there needs to be a market of companies for people to work for, but they still need solid benefits and protections.<p>Think of this as a next generation union type structure.
I don't understand the obsession of unions on HN (majority are most likely tech workers without unions or have participated in one. I guess it could be exotic or the grass is greener on the other side)<p>Could I please have some papers shedding more light on productivity, societal gains, monopolistic behaviour etc resulting from unionizing an industry?<p>Not just perceived benefit but what happens in practice.<p>Ignoring whether unions are good or not. I find it odd that people here want another level of management and bureaucracy in their work environment when simpler solution like universal income exists.<p>Universal income will allow low paid workers to stay at home while not worrying about grinding to put food at their plates. Allowing them more power <i>individually</i> to negotiate better terms with their employer rather than having to go through a middle management layer which may or may not be receptive to your request.<p>I have a dumb question, what happens when an industry is controlled by one segregated group by their sex, age, race or any differentiating factor that is permanent.<p>Would that not be a challenge with unions?<p>How do you enforce "diversity" in unions whatever that may be?<p>Would universal employee benefit from the government not encourage more growth as small businesses don't need to factor in a lot when hiring workers and will only need to pay simple tax to the government based on any factor ranging from employee count to revenue?
Can someone with knowledge in Labour protection explain to me why we shouldn’t let that labor market decide how much these workers are paid?<p>After all, these technology platforms are making supply and demand more transparent, and theoretically, market pay rate should adjust quickly to reflect those changes.
This is necessary. Is there was a way to show support for this cause as an Amazon customer? Ditching Amazon as a single individual doesn’t send a message.
A related thread from 2 days ago: <a href="https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=22707869" rel="nofollow">https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=22707869</a><p>Edit: also related: <a href="https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=22727741" rel="nofollow">https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=22727741</a>
How many workers are actually involved in this strike? The news and medium articles don't give any indication as to whether this is just a few dozen workers putting out a statement, or a larger group.
It's obviously bad PR to deny their claims right now, but I can't imagine this working. Sets a precedent that Amazon will go to great lengths to not set.
Every news article I've read (even articles published this morning) says that they "plan to walk out" on Monday, but have they actually started to do that? Instacart is still letting me place orders (estimated delivery Thurs of course)<p>Mercury news article from 11:15am says:<p>"It’s not clear when the strike would start Monday or how many workers would participate."
Personally my family and friends have stopped getting any type of carry out or drive thru food. You have no idea if the preparer has covid.. has coughed/sneezed/etc on the food.<p>For now and unfortunately for us it's best we prepare our own food. Wash hands, open food from grocer, wash hands again to cook it and maybe wash hands again before eating it<p>It might be extreme, but until we fully have a full grasp on COVID we believe this is the best way to keep it at bay for us.