
The Socialist 3 July 2019
Same old millionaire Tories - Fight to kick them out

Angry Usdaw members strike at Sainsbury's distribution centre over sick pay cut
Sick of your boss? Join a union! Fight for socialism
Construction workers protest in defence of union rights and against anti-worker EU
Socialists in PCS union launch new group to fight general secretary election
Steps forward and missed opportunities at Unite rules conference
London Arriva bus drivers vote for strike action over bullying and workload
Birmingham school strike for safe working environment
Lancashire Stagecoach drivers continue their fight
Birmingham uni workers strike against terms and conditions attacks
Sinister moves against Corbyn can be beaten by clear socialist policies
Same old millionaire Tories - Fight to kick them out
Nationalisation is answer to Southern Water cover up
Gig-economy exploitation doubles
Even social-care bosses say cuts have gone too far
Stonewall riots' legacy shows need for socialist struggle to win LGBT+ liberation
Socialist Party secures new offices
Angry Barking residents protest outside sales office
Tamil Solidarity Day: Linking up oppressed people's struggles
Coventry says no to congestion charge
Carlisle Labour/Lib Dem coalition cuts care home beds
Sell the Socialist and take out an e-subscription
Lincoln Uni NUS disaffiliation: a question of on-campus democracy
Stourbridge: Keep our college!
New opportunity to build working-class fightback after voters punish Erdogan
Irish health workers' anger boils over into strike action
TV: Years and Years - Engaging family drama pushes confused, reactionary message
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Gig-economy exploitation doubles
- Unions must fight for decent rights at work
Ted Mooney, Liverpool Socialist Party
The 'gig economy', formerly known as 'casual labour' - and much beloved of the dock employers for hundreds of years worldwide, is on the rise. Tony Blair famously called it "the flexible workforce".
It is spreading like terminal cancer in Britain. The Trade Union Congress (TUC) has reported a University of Hertfordshire survey that shows the number of employees earning their living this way has doubled since 2016 to 4.7 million people.
Most of these are young workers. One in ten workers are employed in the gig economy, three years ago it was one in 20.
The benefits of casual labour for employers is that they don't have to guarantee minimum working hours, wages, pensions and even national insurance - as workers could be classified as self-employed. There is no sickness benefit or holiday pay either.
For workers - desperate for employment to feed their families and pay the bills - there is often no option other than to take such employment.
The main culprits are not only Uber or Deliveroo, but agency workers suffer too. Men and women are employed to satisfy occasional needs of established workplaces or provide services such as cleaning.
They endure gig-economy terms and conditions, for four or five years, with a promise of a 'proper' job, providing they keep their nose clean. A discrete way of saying, no trade union activities here.
Also, many earn small fees for delivering parcels for home-shopping companies. They are paid only by the parcel they successfully deliver.
They have to return if no one is available to accept the delivery. They receive nothing for the fuel for their car.
Many workers take this type of employment to supplement their income from other, poorly paid jobs. Private-hire taxi drivers are employed to deliver goods for Amazon, between dropping off passengers.
The media, the Tories, some right-wing Labour MPs and the bosses hail this system as a welcome development, pointing out that many employees welcome it. Some workers welcome flexible working because they see no alternative because wages are so low. They need extra income.
Some have no pension to fall back on and a Zurich UK study found more pensioners working in the gig economy.
It is good news that the TUC is highlighting this archaic development. But, what are they going to do about it?
The unions should demand the right to full-time contracts and equal employment conditions. The main force capable of ending this system is the workers themselves.
What is needed is a trade union mobilisation. Workplaces should be leafleted, followed by union recruitment meetings. And industrial action to enforce the issue, if necessary.
In this issue
Workplace news
Angry Usdaw members strike at Sainsbury's distribution centre over sick pay cut
Sick of your boss? Join a union! Fight for socialism
Construction workers protest in defence of union rights and against anti-worker EU
Socialists in PCS union launch new group to fight general secretary election
Steps forward and missed opportunities at Unite rules conference
London Arriva bus drivers vote for strike action over bullying and workload
Birmingham school strike for safe working environment
Lancashire Stagecoach drivers continue their fight
Birmingham uni workers strike against terms and conditions attacks
What we think
Sinister moves against Corbyn can be beaten by clear socialist policies
News
Same old millionaire Tories - Fight to kick them out
Nationalisation is answer to Southern Water cover up
Gig-economy exploitation doubles
Even social-care bosses say cuts have gone too far
Stonewall riots
Stonewall riots' legacy shows need for socialist struggle to win LGBT+ liberation
Socialist Party reports and campaigns
Socialist Party secures new offices
Angry Barking residents protest outside sales office
Tamil Solidarity Day: Linking up oppressed people's struggles
Coventry says no to congestion charge
Carlisle Labour/Lib Dem coalition cuts care home beds
Sell the Socialist and take out an e-subscription
Lincoln Uni NUS disaffiliation: a question of on-campus democracy
Stourbridge: Keep our college!
International socialist news and analysis
New opportunity to build working-class fightback after voters punish Erdogan
Irish health workers' anger boils over into strike action
Opinion
TV: Years and Years - Engaging family drama pushes confused, reactionary message
Related links:
Global capitalism at most dangerous conjuncture since the 1930s
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2020 - a year which drove home the catastrophic failures of capitalism
Can green technology and AI save capitalism?
Better for billionaires. Worse for workers
NHS Emergency - Fight for a fully funded, publicly owned, socialist NHS
British Gas workers strike against 'fire and rehire' plans
Book Review: Humankind - Dispelling the myth that humans are too selfish for socialism
Ryan Aldred: Why I'm standing for Usdaw's EC
Get stuck in to build a fighting, democratic PCS union
Lockdown 3.0 - fight to make our shops safe!
Royal mail management forced to make concessions
TUSC to hold local elections conference in February
TUSC 2021 local elections conference
Workers' action wins Tory U-turn on school safety
Bosses earn workers' annual wage in three days
Lobbying for a lead from the TUC