Thank you for this article and taking a closer look at many of the facets of the relationship between labor and gig companies. Clearly, it boils down to some companies acting ethically and allowing their "contractors" the freedom and compensation to set their own pricing and make their work viable, while others distort the idea of "contracting" through worker exploitation in order to subvert labor policies and seize market control.

These unethical companies are now utilizing their profits and market control to manipulate the public and their workers while writing shoddy legislation allowing the companies to legalize their exploitation and continue off-loading billions of dollars in business expenses onto the public. They are also minimizing risk, passing it on to underpaid and exploited workers, thereby profiting from the work without assuming the risk. Uber and Lyft avoid countless safety regulations through their contracting, endangering our roads for us all.

This is a dangerous path, especially in a cut-throat economy. It sets the precedent whereby other companies, corporations, and eventually entire industries will subvert labor and save on costs by "contracting" workers through the use of technology. This is how 'gig' work has now become a threat to all labor. If we don't curb the efforts by the billion dollar corporations and unethical companies to write their own legislation, then we will place more power in the hands of the rich, further concentrating wealth and power in the hands of the few. These corporations have made it clear that they will prioritize profit over worker rights and public interest and will continue forward until we stop them.

I personally believe in the power of the people and the worker and think that these strategies will come back to haunt them in the end. They will be forced to change in due time, and they will either have to adjust their platform and hire the employees that make their business operate or go out of business. Time will tell....