Explore –Journal of Research
Peer Reviewed Journal
ISSN 2278–0297 (Print)
ISSN 2278–6414 (Online)
Vol. XVII, 2024
© Patna Women’s College, Patna, India
Gig workers: Navigating changing contours of the economy through the challenges of the gig workers in Patna
•Taniya Banerjee • Shivani Kumari • Nidhi Kumari
•Nida Mallick
Received : December, 2023
Accepted : January, 2024
Corresponding Author :Taniya Banerjee
Abstract: Gig economy is a system that is based on flexible, short-term, or freelance work. It might involve contacting clients or customers on online platforms. Individuals who are part of the gig economy are called gig workers, who are frequently employed by businesses on a contractual basis but are not regarded as employees. Gig workers can be divided into platform and non-platform workers. Platform workers are those whose jobs rely on digital platforms or online software apps such as Zomato, Ola, Uber etc. On the other hand, non platform gig workers typically are casual wage earners and can work either full-time or part-time. This research focusses on the changing nature of the labor market and the reasons that led to the rise of gig economy in Patna. This paper further attempts to investigate the initiatives and schemes taken for the safety of gig workers by the government.The triumvirate of the urbanism in the city, informality in the sphere of
employment, and vulnerabilities accentuate the invisibility of labor. They undergo the process of everyday politics at various junctures in society, the economy, and the State. With the advent of the pandemic in 2020, the ubiquity of the gig workers in the city space became visible from the ambit of informalization, invisibilisation, and illicitness that has led to the recognition of the faultlines in addressing the questions of conceptualization and mapping of data. The ‘pandemic politics’ has revealed the glaring gap between the citizens and the internal migrants. While the gig workers were subjected as ‘alien bodies’, their claim to the passages of the city for recognition was re-asserted by the various modes of resistance at work, streets of the cities, and in life.
Keywords: Gig workers, challenges, invisibilisation, everyday politics.
Taniya Banerjee
Assistant Professor, Department of Political Science Patna Women’s College (Autonomous),
Bailey Road, Patna-800 001, Bihar, India E-mail:banerjeetan06@gmail.com
Shivani Kumari
B.A. 111 year, Political Science (Hons.),Session: 2021-2024, Patna Women’s College (Autonomous),
Patna University, Patna, Bihar, India
Nidhi Kumari
B.A. 111 year, Political Science (Hons.),Session: 2021-2024, Patna Women’s College (Autonomous),
Patna University, Patna, Bihar, India
Nida Mallick
B.A. Ill year, Political Science (Hons.),Session: 2021-2024, Patna Women’s College (Autonomous),
Patna University, Patna, Bihar, India
Introduction:
Gig economy is a marketplace where new employment class emerged from the mid of the last century. It establishes a non-traditional employer and employee relationship. Freelancing, delivery service, trans scripting, graphic design, content writing is some of the examples of the type of work the employees of gig economy do. In this model, workers, often referred to as “gig workers” or “independent contractors,” are connected to clients or companies through online platforms or apps.
The gig economy offers flexibility and autonomy to workers, enabling them to choose when and where they work, but it also raises discussions around labour rights, job security, and the potential lack of benefits compared
