002: Conditions - Lockdown

As the world went into lockdown for the first time last year, there was a new focus on the people that keep our society running. Many gig workers found that the services they provide were now an essential, helping to keep people fed and allowing them to move around the city. Without many of the workplace protections commonplace across the rest of society, many workers found themselves forced to carry on working regardless of the risk, in sickness and in health, or face financial ruin.

In this episode we here from Aziz - a pseudonym - a ridehail driver in London. We explore what it is like working during a pandemic, serving your community and keeping the country running. How do you deal with sickness and the need to self-isolate in the absence of official protections? And how do you navigate the daily difficulties you encounter on the streets, when no one’s got your back?