“After Covid, [cab-hailing platforms] without any management. They have laid off many employees. Not much staff to help [drivers on ground]. Who are we going to take these problems to?” Matthew said. “At least before, there was an office involved [to address disputes], now no related office. Everything is online.”
Ola did not respond to questions submitted by WIRED.
Rathi from the CIS says that the complaint mechanism that caters to freelancers is “absolutely absent” and continues to be “one of the top three” requirements that workers have. “Companies can provide better responsive services to customers,” he said. “Employees are equally important” [than customers]and they will be able to extend the same kinds of mechanisms, practices and policies to workers.”
Because workers are often in a precarious economic situation and have no jobs to rely on, being robbed or attacked has a huge impact on their ability to earn money.
Some platforms offer limited coverage for gig workers, including accidents. However, these don’t necessarily provide much respite, says Aditi Surie, a senior consultant at the Indian Institute of Human Settlement, a Bangalore-based research organization who has studied save these plans. Her research shows that making a claim for platform-provided coverage is a lengthy and laborious process. “So even if you are severely physically harmed, there are a lot of steps that prevent anyone from using any of the insurance or offers from the platform,” says Surie. “So if you have an accident on the road, for example, the police have to step in. Now, find the right police station, contact your insurance in time, call an ambulance there — these are all things platforms say they will try to help but nothing there — this then falls back into the hands of the workers.
Uber spokesman Tomar said that the company provided Devi financial support to cover the loss of income due to the incident, and that the company “helped her claim for medical expenses under her insurance policy.” on Uber rides, including all drivers on the app. .” Devi claims that neither the insurance money nor Uber’s financial support for her lost earnings was transferred to her bank account.
“Uber is deeply committed to the safety of drivers on the Uber app,” said Tomar. “Uber drivers have many of the same transparency and accountability features as drivers, such as feedback and ratings for each ride, GPS tracking, emergency buttons, and ride sharing features. .”
In Delhi, Devi already has enough Uber, which she says is not safe or profitable enough to justify the risks. Devi, who previously worked at a hospital for a meager salary, learned to drive so he could start working for Uber and started driving for the platform in 2019. As a single mom, She has to find work to support her two children. “At that time, many women around me told me that Uber was a good choice and a very good income,” she said. “Back then they didn’t even deduct high commissions.”
She first complained to Uber in 2020, when a customer verbally attacked her. He threw abusive words at me. At that time I complained to the customer but Uber did nothing,” Devi said. “Uber never does anything when the driver complains. But even a small complaint against the driver means they will lock their account.”
At the time, she remembers spending 500 rupees ($6.08) on fuel a day but bringing in 2,000 rupees ($24.39) home. But recently, she said the cost of fuel has increased to 700 rupees a day, while her income has dropped to less than 1,000 rupees.
Devi is upset because despite the life-threatening incident she went through, the only calls she gets from Uber are announcements about when she will resume driving for her sake. has been offline since January. She said, angry, she blocked those numbers. “I worry about my children—what if something like this happens again? So I need to think twice before I take the next steps,” she said. “I have no intention of going back to driving for Uber at the moment.”
(Reporting on this story was supported by the Pulitzer Center AI Accountability Network.)
