Dynamics of Contention in the Gig Economy: Rage Against the Platform, Customer, or State?

New Technology, Work & Employment, Forthcoming

43 Pages Posted: 26 Oct 2021

See all articles by Alex Wood

Alex Wood

University of Bristol - Department of Management

Nicholas Martindale

University of Oxford - Nuffield College

Vili Lehdonvirta

University of Oxford - Oxford Internet Institute

Date Written: September 7, 2021

Abstract

Protest in the gig economy has taken many forms and targets (platforms, customers, and state officials). However, researchers are yet to adequately account for this diversity. We use a European survey of Upwork and PeoplePerHour platform workers in the remote gig economy to investigate worker orientation towards different forms of protest. Results reveal that worker anger, dependence, and digital communication shape contention in the remote gig economy. Support for collective organisation is associated not only with anger at platforms but also workers’ dependence on the platform and communication with other workers. Whereas individual action against clients is associated only with anger and communication but not communication and support for state regulation is associated only with anger but not dependence or communication. We conclude that despite the novelty of these emergent social relations, the relational approach entailed by Mobilisation Theory can aid explanation of contention in the gig economy by shedding light on the dynamic process by which solidarity and dependence alter the perceived costs and benefits of particular remedies to injustice.

Keywords: Gig economy, consumer, state

Suggested Citation

Wood, Alex and Martindale, Nicholas and Lehdonvirta, Vili, Dynamics of Contention in the Gig Economy: Rage Against the Platform, Customer, or State? (September 7, 2021). New Technology, Work & Employment, Forthcoming, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3922652

Alex Wood (Contact Author)

University of Bristol - Department of Management ( email )

University of Bristol, Howard House
Queens Avenue
Bristol, BS8 1SD
United Kingdom

Nicholas Martindale

University of Oxford - Nuffield College ( email )

Oxford
United Kingdom

Vili Lehdonvirta

University of Oxford - Oxford Internet Institute ( email )

1 St. Giles
University of Oxford
Oxford, Oxfordshire OX1 3JS
United Kingdom

HOME PAGE: http://www.oii.ox.ac.uk

Do you have a job opening that you would like to promote on SSRN?

Paper statistics

Downloads
199
Abstract Views
467
Rank
315,309
PlumX Metrics