3 minute read
Sorry We Missed You
Family Time The Turner family cherish moments together at the dinner table
Deliver Us From Evil
Sorry We Missed You explores the true cost of the gig economy. by Kristin Ostensen
Anew pair of jeans, a phone case, a game—these days, it seems like you can buy anything online and have it delivered right to your door. But at what cost? The human impact of online shopping may not be something we think about when we click “Add to Cart.” With Sorry We Missed You, a new film in theatres this month, director Ken Loach implores us to think again.
Financial Crisis Sorry We Missed You centres on one British family, Ricky (Kris Hitchen) and Abbie Turner (Debbie Honeywood), both of whom are part of the gig economy. Ricky works as a delivery driver, while Abbie is a home-care nurse.
The film is set 10 years after the 2008 financial crisis, but Ricky and Abbie are still struggling—they’ve spent years going from job to job without getting ahead. So when
Ricky hears of an opportunity to become a self-employed delivery driver, he jumps at the chance. However, he quickly discovers that his new job has many pitfalls and none of the protections that come with conventional employment. First, he needs to get his own delivery van by purchasing or leasing one from the company, or renting one at an obscene rate. In order to buy the van, the Turners make the tough decision to sell the family’s car, which Abbie uses for work. Without it, Abbie must rely on spotty public transit to visit her home-care clients, making it nearly impossible for her to reach each person on time and provide the care they need.
While he makes his deliveries, Ricky’s life is dictated by a package scanner that tracks his every move. The scanner sets strict targets for his deliveries, often forcing him to forgo proper meals and bathroom breaks. The worst part is the “precisors,” packages that must be delivered at a specific time—or Ricky will face penalties.
Sorry We Missed You also explores how the gig economy impacts Ricky and Abbie’s children. As the parents are forced to work increasingly long hours, the family environment becomes more and more toxic. By the end of the film, their situation is dire—and it seems as if there’s no way out.
Cash Flow Sorry We Missed You looks at the gig economy in the United Kingdom, but the film could just as easily be set in Canada. According to a recent Statistics Canada report, the number of workers in the gig economy is increasing. About 1.7 million workers, representing 8.2 percent of Canada’s labour force, did some kind of gig work in 2016. That’s a huge jump from 2005, when about a million people did gig work. Statistics Canada defines gig workers as “unincorporated selfemployed workers who enter into various contracts with firms or individuals to complete a specific task or to work for a specific period of time.” This includes freelancers and workers hired through apps such as Uber or Foodora.
Earnings for gig workers are usually low—the median net gig
United They Stand Ricky (right) wants only the best for his family
income was only $4,303 in 2016. That might be all right for a person who is supplementing income for a full- or part-time job, but it’s hardly enough to live on. As Sorry We Missed You shows, companies that employ gig workers often exploit their desperation for work. They offer no benefits— no vacation time or sick leave—and punish workers financially for not meeting exacting standards.
Questioning Consumption Facts and figures such as these can be abstract. That’s why a film like Sorry We Missed You is so valuable—it puts a human face on this concerning trend and gives us an opportunity to reflect on how our behaviour may contribute to the negative impacts of the gig economy. We can begin by rethinking our consumption. Before buying something online, ask: Do I truly need this item? And do I need two-day (or faster) shipping, or is regular mail good enough?
On a societal level, let’s consider how we can support legislation that protects workers, ensuring livable wages for all, not just those lucky enough to have secured conventional employment. And consider supporting organizations that help vulnerable workers find stable work. The Salvation Army, for example, has many employment programs— from resumé-building workshops to job fairs to one-on-one employment counselling.
For many people, the gig economy doesn’t deliver the goods. How can we change that?
