Internet Explorers: The Gig Economy LIVESTREAM ONLY

While Caveat is closed to help stop the spread of COVID-19 we’ll be livestreaming shows! When Uber rolled out its app-based ride-sharing service in 2011, a new era of empowerment and agency for freelancers was upon us.

The amazing convenience offered by the confluence of the “Internet of Things,” artificial neural networks, and workers who increasingly wanted a say in their work-life balance seemed too good to be true: Desk-bound office workers could order salads at the push of the button with GrubHub; CEOs could commission artwork from designers across the globe with Fiverr; and renters could have their new Ikea furniture assembled by a TaskRabbit. And freelancers could build a lifestyle for themselves that didn’t tie them to full-time contracts or repetitive, super-specialized tasks. But now, giggers are bearing the punishing consequences of no-contract, on-demand work, and policy-makers and advocates are struggling to implement safeguards for them in an economy that reduces them to the surplus value of their labor. One Uber driver in 2016 went into labor while driving for Lyft, which the company spun as “exciting,” despite the fact that Lyft makes no provisions for healthcare or maternity leave for its drivers. New York is cracking down on companies that employ gig workers, following California’s lead in creating legislation that makes it more difficult for companies to hire freelancers as contractors. And in January, Instacart launched a union-busting campaign to prevent its gig workers from organizing for their rights. What have we gotten ourselves into? Is there a way to shift the tide? And why can’t we have it both ways??

Mark Vigeant will answer all of these questions and more with the help of expert guests and gig workers themselves! Plus, it’ll be funny af. Mark Vigeant uses comedy to explore and demystify technology so that people can be aware, informed, and empowered.

ABOUT CAVEAT LIVESTREAMS: Going crazy yet? Craving information, but starting to feel desperate to receive it in a non-depressing way? Worried about the state of art and intelligent discussion in the time of social distancing? We got you.

Hopefully some good old fashioned intelligent nightlife can help get you through it—right from the safety of your home. And if you’d like to contribute to the artists and keeping the venue alive, here’s a link where you can do that! We’ll split whatever comes in between making sure Caveat stays functioning and the artists on stage.

https://paypal.me/caveatnyc











When: Fri., Mar. 27, 2020 at 7:00 pm
Where: Caveat
21 Clinton St.
212-228-2100
Price: By donation
Buy tickets/get more info now
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While Caveat is closed to help stop the spread of COVID-19 we’ll be livestreaming shows! When Uber rolled out its app-based ride-sharing service in 2011, a new era of empowerment and agency for freelancers was upon us.

The amazing convenience offered by the confluence of the “Internet of Things,” artificial neural networks, and workers who increasingly wanted a say in their work-life balance seemed too good to be true: Desk-bound office workers could order salads at the push of the button with GrubHub; CEOs could commission artwork from designers across the globe with Fiverr; and renters could have their new Ikea furniture assembled by a TaskRabbit. And freelancers could build a lifestyle for themselves that didn’t tie them to full-time contracts or repetitive, super-specialized tasks. But now, giggers are bearing the punishing consequences of no-contract, on-demand work, and policy-makers and advocates are struggling to implement safeguards for them in an economy that reduces them to the surplus value of their labor. One Uber driver in 2016 went into labor while driving for Lyft, which the company spun as “exciting,” despite the fact that Lyft makes no provisions for healthcare or maternity leave for its drivers. New York is cracking down on companies that employ gig workers, following California’s lead in creating legislation that makes it more difficult for companies to hire freelancers as contractors. And in January, Instacart launched a union-busting campaign to prevent its gig workers from organizing for their rights. What have we gotten ourselves into? Is there a way to shift the tide? And why can’t we have it both ways??

Mark Vigeant will answer all of these questions and more with the help of expert guests and gig workers themselves! Plus, it’ll be funny af. Mark Vigeant uses comedy to explore and demystify technology so that people can be aware, informed, and empowered.

ABOUT CAVEAT LIVESTREAMS: Going crazy yet? Craving information, but starting to feel desperate to receive it in a non-depressing way? Worried about the state of art and intelligent discussion in the time of social distancing? We got you.

Hopefully some good old fashioned intelligent nightlife can help get you through it—right from the safety of your home. And if you’d like to contribute to the artists and keeping the venue alive, here’s a link where you can do that! We’ll split whatever comes in between making sure Caveat stays functioning and the artists on stage.

https://paypal.me/caveatnyc

Buy tickets/get more info now