MORE SHOCKING GIG COMPANY COVER UPS

Federal Government regulation might be the only way to end the Gig Economy’s deadly model of exploitation

Revelations of covered up worker injuries and deaths in recent months shows why we need Federal regulation to end the gig economy’s deadly model of exploitation.

Australians were shocked by reports that in April 2020, food delivery rider Burak Dogan was fatally struck while riding his bike in Sydney. UberEats attempted to cover up Burak’s death and deny his family compensation by claiming he was not working at the time, even though he was logged in to the UberEats app and receiving orders when he was killed.

While the circumstances of Burak’s death are shocking, they are shamefully not a one-off incident. Appearing before a NSW Parliamentary Inquiry in September, gig company DoorDash admitted it had failed to report the death of a food delivery worker killed in Melbourne a year earlier. Outrageously, senior management at DoorDash conceded they only became aware of the incident when preparing for their appearance at the Inquiry.

This admission brings the 2020 food delivery worker death toll to seven.

When companies exploit loopholes to avoid responsibility for workers’ deaths, or don’t even know when a worker has been killed on the job, you know something urgently need to change.

The reality is that this cover up culture is only possible because governments are refusing to rein in these behemoths.

says MARK BYDDER

Existing reporting obligations also do nothing to address the root cause of worker injuries and deaths: exploitation. The gig economy’s sham contracting arrangements deliberately misclassify workers, placing them outside industrial protections so that companies can pressure workers to work longer, faster and take more risks without bearing any responsibility.

The only way to end this insidious culture is through Federal regulation with teeth.

Empowering an independent body to enforce strict reporting obligations would leave these companies nowhere to hide, while imposing minimum standards would end the deadly pressure forcing food delivery workers to take risks on the job.

Even when action is taken – like recent fines imposed on Uber by the NSW Point to Point Commissioner for not disclosing over 500 incidents including collisions requiring hospitalisation – these companies write off the penalties as simply the cost of doing business.

Stamping out gig exploitation is core Union business. Only by bravely taking on these juggernauts and ending their poisonous business model can we protect the decent jobs and standards transport workers and their families rely on.