The gig economy in Australia is booming, with an estimated 3.2 million people participating in it. This has provided an opportunity for many people to make money on a flexible schedule. However, a new report by the McKell Institute has highlighted that many of these workers are being paid less than the minimum wage, and are having to work multiple jobs to make ends meet.
The report surveyed over 1000 gig economy workers and found that almost half (48%) earned less than the minimum wage. This is concerning as it suggests that many of these workers are not being paid a fair rate for their labour. The report also found that the majority of gig economy workers (87%) said they had to work more than one job to make enough money to live.
This highlights the precariousness of many gig economy jobs, as workers are reliant on multiple sources of income to make ends meet.
It has been estimated that a shocking 112,000 Australian workers are paid below minimum wage, with over half of all food delivery workers among them, leading to demands for immediate reform.
Michael Kaine, national secretary of the Transport Workers Union, asserted the report “busted the myth” of transport gig work providing flexibility, denouncing it as nothing more than a slogan.
“Even though the promise of flexible hours has enticed many food delivery, parcel delivery, and rideshare drivers to this work, achieving this is impossible unless there are fair, safe and sustainable standards in place,” he said.
