Month: April 2019

What’s Going on in the Workforce

“They’re monitored and supervised by robots.” How Amazon is using data to fire up to 10% of its warehouse workforce each year, for failing to make steep productivity goals.  And in Utah, they’ve just opened a warehouse with more robots than people. 

“75% of the drivers in this study said that they had never had a drink or meal with anyone else who had ever driven for Uber.”   Georgetown’s Katie Wells & her team interviewed 40 TNC drivers in DC. Check out what they found, and why she coined the term “slippery wages,” in this new report that clearly demonstrates the need for more organizing in the ride-share workforce. 

“Going on strike is a right in the French constitution, just like the freedom of speech. There was a national yellow vest movement, my client wanted to take part in it. Is he supposed to stay silent on that national movement just because he’s an Amazon employee?” How Amazon workers in France are fighting to stop the company’s expansion. 

Before you laugh off the efforts of Instagrammers to unionize, remember this: “Memers aren’t direct employees of these tech platforms, nor are they independent contractors for them. But they produce, directly or indirectly, the bulk of these platforms’ income.” 

Organizing Theory

If you teach teenagers how ads are lying to them, it helps them make better choices about eating. 

Sharing, Solidarity & Sustainability

Colorado is leading the nation on expanding employee ownership. 

“Being saddled with any form of debt is exhausting, but student-loan debt is its own beast.” Four young Americans talk about their struggles with student debt. 

“With each beverage-less order, restaurants sacrifice a lucrative piece of their business.” How the ease of home delivery is changing the restaurant business. 

What’s Going on in the Workforce

“We can’t afford to live in the cities where we work, so there are parking lots throughout the Bay Area where Uber and Lyft drivers congregate, sleeping in their cars between hours-long shifts — many doing so for a few days before driving back to their homes in Vallejo, Sacramento, Stockton or other cheaper cities.” On the cusp of Uber’s IPO, ride-share drivers are organizing harder than ever before.  And with the failure of both Uber & Lyft to protect women drivers and riders from sexual harassment in cars, can you blame them? 

If you’re the victim of a classic New Yorker backlog, you may not have seen this piece about the development of a robot to pick strawberries. 

Amazon warehouse workers are on strike in Germany this week. 

From Partners

Running a union and want to check out whether your digital program is healthy? Check out the new tool from the UK’s TUC Digital team. 

Geeking Out

MIT researchers have developed a robot that can aid in recyclable sorting—it doesn’t look at objects, it uses fingers to see how squishy they are, to determine whether they’re paper, metal or glass. 

I had a brief chat last week with the founder of Trusted Herd, who is trying to do gig reputation right, for people who work in the event management industry. I’ll be curious to see how this develops. 

Reputation, reputation, reputation

Is your phone showing you a Dunkin’ Donuts coupon every time you drive past a store? Thanks, Waze, for selling our location data for hyperlocal marketing. 

Sharing, Solidarity & Sustainability

The New Republic argues that the Green New Deal and the fight for reparations should be more closely linked together, if not fought as one. 

In an effort to reduce their carbon footprint, Ikea has started growing lettuce and other greens in shipping containers outside of their stores, in Scandinavia. 

Employee ownership of work is increasing—including in some industries you might not suspect. 

Events

Next Thursday morning, Dr. Katie Wells & others will be presenting at a Georgetown meeting: “The Uber Workplace in DC: Who’s in the Driver’s Seat?” 

What’s Going on in the Workforce

UPS is piloting drone delivery of the blood supply. Insert your vampire bat joke of choice here… 

The Open Markets Institute looks at the impact of monopolies on workers and others, in America’s food production. 

A growing number of UK companies are moving to a four-day workweek—and finding increased productivity is the result. 

Immigration issues, and a lack of overall respect for the profession is causing worker shortages in the home care industry. 

Events

I don’t usually post fundraising events on this blog, but I have to make an exception for the National Employment Law Project’s 50th Anniversary event. These are the movement lawyers for every US working people’s organization. Dig deep.

Geeking Out

You know what every autonomous floor-buffing robot needs? A smiley face painted on the front.

Sharing, Solidarity & Sustainability

The Connecticut legislature is taking a step towards banning non-competes for low-wage workers. 

The unemployment rate for Black workers is still 2x the rate for white workers. 

Jersey City, NJ wants to mandate that all ride-sharing companies provide their drivers with illuminated signage, after a New Jersey woman was murdered in SC when she got into a car she thought was her Uber. 

Organizing Theory

One way of making people understand the scale of the plastics-in-the-ocean problem? Exhibit it in a museum. 

Organizing Theory

Reputation, reputation, reputation

Sharing, Solidarity & Sustainability

What’s Going on in the Workforce

Geeking Out