Regional In-Person Roundtables To Come From Gig Workers

A series of regional in-person roundtables will be scheduled to hear directly from gig workers, independent contractors, online platform workers, contract firm workers, on-call workers, and temporary workers, about their jobs and working conditions, and the unique challenges for app-based ride-hailing and delivery workers in B.C.

The roundtables are part of a provincewide work strategy for those whose jobs could be described as precarious

The province wants to ensure that appropriate standards are in place and could include proposing employment standards amendments for gig workers, as well as ensuring they're not incorrectly classified as independent contractors.

App-based ride-hailing and delivery workers may attend a roundtable in their community to provide input about the work they do, their working conditions, the challenges they face and how employment standards could address the challenges.

The sessions will be scheduled for next November in communities throughout the province.

In May 2020, Statistics Canada estimated about one in 10 Canadians in the workforce (1.7 million people) are gig workers, many of whom are paid only for "active time" and may earn less than minimum wage for a shift.