WORK 14 - The Colossus of Roads

Earla Phillips has almost 16,000 Uber rides under her belt. But over the last few years, she’s been trying to hold Uber, one of the most powerful tech companies in the world, to account.

Earla is a leader in a growing movement of gig workers who are trying to reclaim the basic labour rights that have been stripped from them.

She expected to face opposition from tech companies and governments that are hostile to workers. But what she didn’t anticipate was that one of the biggest obstacles in her path would be a labour union. 

Featured in this episode: Earla Phillips, Anthony Milton (Ricochet)

To learn more:

“Rideshare drivers are fighting to unionize. One of Canada’s biggest unions is standing in their way” by Anthony Milton in Ricochet

“How Uber got almost everything it wanted in Ontario’s Working For Workers Act” by Vanmala Subramaniam in The Globe and Mail

“Union worked with Uber to ensure Ontario government would not classify gig workers as employees, documents show” by Vanmala Subramaniam in The Globe and Mail

Credits: Arshy Mann (Host and Producer), Jordan Cornish (Producer), Noor Azrieh (Producer), Karyn Pugliese (Editor-in-Chief)

Sponsors: Douglas, Article

Additional music from Audio Network

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