Huge changes are afoot in the UK casual labour market. Uber has lost its London licence and the three main political parties have pledged to crack down on unfair working practices associated with zero-hours contracts and the gig economy in their election manifestos.
They are seeking to bring the short-term employment market into line with the standards and regulations that other employers must abide by, recreating a level playing field. But the purveyors of meal delivery, ride-sharing and other gig economy services warn that tighter standards will damage broader economic efficiency and employees will lose out.
At a panel I recently participated in, gig economy defenders endlessly repeated that today’s modern workers want the flexibility to move freely between jobs. They say it is a benefit, not a penalty, and a symbol of empowerment and freedom.