Organizing Local Messengers: Working Conditions and Barriers to Unionization

Pupo, Norene; Noack, Andie

doi:10.29173/cjs18509

Cited by 4 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 13 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…The developments described above affect workers directly as they are alienated from their work owing to its transformation (Flecker et al, 2016) or precarious working conditions like in local courier services (Concetta Ambra & Pulignano, 2018;Pupo & Noack, 2014). Thus, postal workers are "particularly sensitive to the deterioration of their working conditions and the 'meaning' of their work, i.e.…”

Section: June 2021mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Challenges for organizing and unionization include the individualization and isolation of subcontracted workers in courier services as well as the segmentation of the workforce in warehouses and sorting centers (Pupo & Noack, 2014). In warehouses, a high number of workers is recruited on a temporary basis parallel to a fixed number of permanent workers, so that worker mobilization is limited through this system of segregation (Lindemann & Boyer, 2019).…”

Section: Industrial Relations and Unionizationmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Unions in the postal services of the future

Kalbermatter¹,

Schaupp²,

Hartleitner³

et al. 2021

Preprint

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

This study is an explorative analysis of labor union representatives’ assessment of digital transformation in the postal and logistics sector and the consequences for union activities in different regions of the world. It consists of two parts: Part I is a review of existing research on the topic of digitalization and labor relations in the postal and logistics sector. Part II represents the core of the study, consisting of a qualitative survey of union representatives from that sector regarding their stance towards digitalization and respective union strategies. The sample consists of 29 detailed written statements of union representatives from all continents, answering to a set of open questions. The study shows that in almost all of the regions, digital technologies are the basic technological infrastructure that enables postal work. There is a set of specific technology bundles which are consistently used in all of these regions. The surveyed union representatives consistently report a net job loss as a consequence of digitalization, although it also has created some new jobs. They also indicate an increase in precarious forms of employment, such as subcontracting, temporary work or bogus self-employment. In terms of working conditions, respondents refer to work facilitation through automation and digital assistance. However, they also underline that especially algorithmic work control leads to increased surveillance and work intensification. This intensification of work is perceived in turn as a factor in increased stress and thus as a risk for workers’ health. Yet, respondents also see the potential for digital systems to prevent accidents. Overall, the surveyed union representatives see digitalization as inevitable. Yet, they consistently argue that new regulations are needed because older standards often times do not address the specific problems of digitalized work.

show abstract

Section: June 2021mentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Industrial Relations and Unionizationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Unions in the postal services of the future

Kalbermatter¹,

Schaupp²,

Hartleitner³

et al. 2021

Preprint

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…), especially in the service sector, to which couriers belong. Also, critics have pointed to a fragmentation of the labour force between permanent insiders and temporary outsiders and a shifting of the costs of acquiring investment capital and the related maintenance costs onto the couriers (Pupo and Noack, 2014).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Numerous studies have examined the 'dark side of digitalisation' (Trittin-Ulbrich et al, 2021), 1 and especially the influence of algorithms in the reorganisation of social relations of production under a variety of aspects, including knowledge asymmetries between platform owners and users (Rosenblat and Stark, 2016), tensions between control and autonomy of workers (Ivanova et al, 2018), transformations in the relations between workers and consumers through quantitative individualised performance evaluation (Glöss et al, 2016) and the mental health effects of activities where aggressiveness directly drives work commitment (Le Lay and Lemozy, 2021a). Managerial choices made by platform owners in terms of labour relations have been shown (Scholz, 2017) to have contributed to a worsening of employment conditions, a process that has been underway for several decades in many economic sectors, including the bicycle courier sector (Pupo and Noack, 2014).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Does platform cooperativism represent a future for work? The case of a French cooperative of bike couriers

Le Lay,

Lemozy

2023

Organization

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The delivery sector has undergone profound changes in the way work is organised, particularly under the influence of platform capitalism and its algorithmic management. This phenomenon exacerbates processes of work precarisation that have been underway for decades. Alternatives have started to emerge, known as platform cooperativism, which aim to rethink the organisation of work. Despite their long socio-economic history, cooperatives have not been extensively researched from a physical and mental health perspective. The results of our investigation into the psychodynamics of work among couriers in a French cargo bicycle delivery cooperative show that health-related aspects – inseparable from the subjective relationship to work – shed light on individuals’ choices to embark on an alternative ‘entrepreneurial adventure’. We suggest that this way of working could signal an alternative to the model proposed by neoliberal economics, with their deleterious effects on health, on the collective, and more globally on politics.

show abstract

Ethical challenges for same-day delivery contractors

Chen,

Chen

2024

IJOES

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Purpose This paper aims to investigate the ethical challenges within same-day delivery (SDD) operations in the gig economy, focusing on promoting fairness and justice for independent contractors by applying Rawlsian justice principles. Design/methodology/approach Adopting a philosophical and theoretical methodology, the authors synthesize insights from business ethics, corporate governance and Rawlsian ethical theories. This study critically examines the application of these theories within SDD business models through a comparative analysis of seminal and contemporary ethical discussions. Importantly, the authors reverse the traditional antecedents, decisions and outcomes framework to start with outcomes, offering a novel methodological execution that enhances the study’s approach to ethical research. Findings The analysis identifies pronounced ethical deficiencies in treating SDD contractors, emphasizing the need for systemic reforms. The study proposes a series of hypotheses to rectify these issues, including recommendations for enhancing algorithmic transparency, ensuring equitable compensation and fortifying worker protections. These proposed changes advocate for restructuring corporate policies to foster a fairer SDD business environment. Originality/value By interweaving Rawlsian ethical principles with practical corporate responsibilities specific to the gig economy, this paper enriches the discourse on business ethics. It introduces a novel framework for analyzing the ethical treatment of gig workers, proposing actionable strategies that bridge theoretical ethics with real-world applications. This approach advances academic understanding and guides industry practices toward more ethical and sustainable models.

show abstract

Organizing Local Messengers: Working Conditions and Barriers to Unionization

Cited by 4 publications

References 13 publications

Unions in the postal services of the future

Unions in the postal services of the future

Does platform cooperativism represent a future for work? The case of a French cooperative of bike couriers

Ethical challenges for same-day delivery contractors

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About