Resources & Tools

The pandemic has hit gig economy workers particularly hard. Aside from pursuing support from governments and platforms, you can also reach out to local mutual aid groups near you. 

Global: Mutual aid

US: Collective care mutual aid; Gig Workers Collective  

UK: Chilcare Workers Solidarity Fund 

Further information about resources and support can be found through Gig Workers Rising

Keeping track of your time can help you avoid unpaid work, and make a note of missed breaks and extended periods on your feet. Use these apps to keep track of your active work time: 

• Workerbird: this app allows you to keep track of the time you’ve worked each day. You can use that data to calculate your hourly wage.
• WeClock: an open source project, this app lets you track working hours and periods of physical activity. It also tracks periods of physical activity, and mileage if you’re driving. 
• Worker Info Exchange (WIE): an initiative working to improve data rights for digital workers, WIE can help you access data that is being collected about you through platforms, and use this data to improve working conditions. 

Our Fair Pay principle states that all workers are entitled to be fairly compensated for their work. These apps can help you keep track of your finances:

• Deliveroo Unwrapped (UK): Deliveroo riders can upload invoices to reveal average pay per hour, average order fee, changes to both over time and much more. Developed by IWGB to help collectively bring transparency about earning and fees. Invoices are kept in a secure database before being exported for pay analysis, stripping identifying information.
• Wage Calculator: a tool developed by the Mobile Workers Alliance to calculate earnings per hour.
• Gig Compare: this website allows you to explore how different platforms are paying for the same work in your area.
• gigBuddy: this app can help you keep track of your daily earning across all the platforms you work with. 
• PayUp: join the movement calling for minimum pay, transparency around work and compensation, and for workers to be able to keep tips (based in the US)
• The Shipt Calculator: a pilot project of a tool that gives workers insight into how Shipt pays delivery workers.
• Wage Theft Calculator (Georgia): A tool designed by the Georgia Fair Labor Platform to help workers calculate how much money they may be losing due to wage theft.

Conditions in the gig economy can mean you spend a significant amount of time on the move.

• Gas Buddy: find the cheapest place to refuel (US-based).
• Bathroom Scout: a global map of washroom facilities with information for delivery workers.

• Alia: through an Alia account, domestic workers can purchase insurance and benefits using contributions made by users.
• Tax Estimator: this estimator makes it easier for workers in the gig economy to understand how much of their income is taxable, with additional info here (US-based).
• Know your rights: Coworker provides both how-to-guides and information on worker rights, organising and (US-based). 
• Fair Crowd Work: A guide to legal rights for gig economy workers in Austria and Germany (in German)
• Turkopticon: a platform where mechanical turk workers can report negative experiences with employers, helping others avoid negative experiences.
• Worker Info Exchange: a non profit organisation that can help you access data the platforms collect about you and your work. Workers can also pool their data together to organise for their rights.
• Idvogados (Brazil): a project that provides access to legal support by connecting workers to voluntary institutions willing to fight for better working conditions. 
• Nanny Solidarity Network (UK): is a grassroots, worker- and migrant-led mutual aid organisation. They provide support, resources, emergency aid, community, and space for collective action to nannies and au pairs based in the UK. 

The following tools can help make organising more efficient.

• actionBuilder: a tool built specifically for organisers, this app helps you keep track of members, and key information. 
• CoBudget: this platform allows you to budget collaboratively, and transparently.
• Coworker.org and Organise: through these platforms you can organise a campaign around issues affecting gig economy workers.
• Living Wage Foundation Calculator: an independent platform for calculating a realistic cost of living in cities around the world.
• Fair Crowd Work: access platform reviews to hear what workers are saying about conditions at a range of global platforms.
• Workers Observatory: for workers based in Edinburgh, United Kingdom,the Worker’s Observatory hosts insight and collective interventions in the gig economy.
• Solidarity Onboarding: Brought together by tech activists, artists, and creators, this page offers advice and guidance around common anti-labour statements made by companies.
• Guide for bargaining on work tech: The Community Union,  in the UK, in partnership with the Institute for the Future of Work, has developed a guide for union representatives on negotiating around the use of tech in the workplace.

There are many types of gig workers working under different conditions around the world. These resources provide insight into the daily life of gig economy workers.

• A Day as a Platform Worker: In this microlearning course by Atingi you will get to know the ride-hailing sector of the gig economy by spending a day in the shoes of Lubanzi, who works for a rideshare platform.
• The GigLane: a text based adventure game that explores the conditions of work as a food delivery worker in Bangalore. 
• The Uber Game: based on reporting undertaken by the Financial Times, this game allows you to explore the daily life of an Uber driver
• Jornada do Trabalhador de Si Mesmo (Journey of a gig worker): a text-based game produced by DigiLabour Research Lab for the Workers’ Game Jam 2020 where you play a platform driver trying, at the same time, to pay your bills and fight for their rights (in Portuguese and English).
• Platform work documentaries: A list of documentaries about platform work compiled by DigiLabour Research Lab (in Brazilian Portuguese).
• Rider por un día: Could you make the minimum wage as a delivery rider? Check out this interactive experience by Lab RTVE (in Spanish).
• Hear from gig workers: On the road with London’s gig economy workers
• Learn about the organising efforts of delivery workers in Berlin with the podcast Delivery Charge

It can be challenging to access information on worker rights, platform policies, and other facets of working in the gig economy. Connect with others in the sector to look for answers:

• SherpaShare Pulse: Other workers may have the answer to your questions. This platform allows you to speak with other gig economy workers around the world.
• Tu respuesta sindical ya: you can post questions around a range of topics that will be answered by trained members of a worker’s syndicate based in Spain (in Spanish)
• Workit: the app connects you to trained peer advisors that can give specific advice around working on the gig economy.
• Gig Workers Connection Map: a mutual aid initiative that connects you to other gig workers nearby (US-based).
• The Rideshare Hub: a YouTube channel focused on sharing useful information and experiences between gig economy workers working in ridesharing.
• WorkerTech Startups: A comprehensive list of start-ups, organisations, and individuals involved in improving the conditions of workers, providing help around collective representation, finances and admin paperwork, learning and training and beyond.