Song request: labor songs - Gig economy

Subject: Song request: labor songs - Gig economy
From: GUEST,mmarlow
Date: 25 Sep 23 - 11:54 PM

Looking for modern labor songs about the gig economy

(including e.g., but not limited to: Facebook, Google, Amazon, Uber/Lyft, Doordash, Air BnB, Mechanical Turk/remotask,
AI (e.g., taking and replacing work of writers/artists/performers(deepfakes), piece work - people doing labeling)).

Patterns of these companies similar to older problematic ones - expand, eliminate competition, then concentrate value in paying stockholders (remove value from customers, workers, society, etc.); what Cory Doctorow calls enshitification.

Looking for songs with current examples to make message more relateable than classic labor songs, and highlight new challenges and opportunities.

Thank you

Subject: RE: Song request: labor songs - Gig economy
From: GUEST,Dave Hanson
Date: 26 Sep 23 - 05:40 AM

What does ' gig economy actually mean ? '

It doesn't mean a thing to me.

Dave H

Subject: RE: Song request: labor songs - Gig economy
From: MaJoC the Filk
Date: 26 Sep 23 - 08:59 AM

> What does 'gig economy' actually mean?

There's a thread for that, admittedly below the line. It includes attempts at definitions, and comparisons with zero-hours contracts (a related pernicious business practice) and freelancing. Hope this helps.

Subject: RE: Song request: labor songs - Gig economy
From: GUEST,mmarlow
Date: 26 Sep 23 - 10:53 PM

Gig economy - roughly: Work is outsourced and intermediary companies (that get jobs from customers and deliver them to workers) become the controlling power in their industry, often to the detriment of customers, workers, and society.

Gig workers may benefit from flexible scheduling; however the power imbalance means workers often lose out - lacking reliable income to meet basic needs, healthcare, paid parental/sick leave, unemployment, pension and retirement benefits.
(Similar things happen with other assets - e.g., housing, shopping, or media.)

Related terms that might help:

Piece work
Platform Economy
Sharing Economy (An earlier term for pretty much the same thing - trying to give it a positive spin).

Subject: Song request: labor songs - Gig economy
From: GUEST,mmarlow
Date: 25 Sep 23 - 11:54 PM

Looking for modern labor songs about the gig economy

(including e.g., but not limited to: Facebook, Google, Amazon, Uber/Lyft, Doordash, Air BnB, Mechanical Turk/remotask,
AI (e.g., taking and replacing work of writers/artists/performers(deepfakes), piece work - people doing labeling)).

Patterns of these companies similar to older problematic ones - expand, eliminate competition, then concentrate value in paying stockholders (remove value from customers, workers, society, etc.); what Cory Doctorow calls enshitification.

Looking for songs with current examples to make message more relateable than classic labor songs, and highlight new challenges and opportunities.

Thank you

Subject: RE: Song request: labor songs - Gig economy
From: GUEST,Dave Hanson
Date: 26 Sep 23 - 05:40 AM

What does ' gig economy actually mean ? '

It doesn't mean a thing to me.

Dave H

Subject: RE: Song request: labor songs - Gig economy
From: GUEST,mmarlow
Date: 26 Sep 23 - 10:53 PM

Gig economy - roughly: Work is outsourced and intermediary companies (that get jobs from customers and deliver them to workers) become the controlling power in their industry, often to the detriment of customers, workers, and society.

Gig workers may benefit from flexible scheduling; however the power imbalance means workers often lose out - lacking reliable income to meet basic needs, healthcare, paid parental/sick leave, unemployment, pension and retirement benefits.
(Similar things happen with other assets - e.g., housing, shopping, or media.)

Related terms that might help:

Piece work
Platform Economy
Sharing Economy (An earlier term for pretty much the same thing - trying to give it a positive spin).

Subject: RE: Song request: labor songs - Gig economy
From: MaJoC the Filk
Date: 26 Sep 23 - 08:59 AM

> What does 'gig economy' actually mean?

There's a thread for that, admittedly below the line. It includes attempts at definitions, and comparisons with zero-hours contracts (a related pernicious business practice) and freelancing. Hope this helps.