martha pskowski

(2) Worldwide, there are over 300,000 "delivery partners" with Uber Eats. (hat's what the company calls them to avoid having to follow labor law for "workers". Since Uber Eats launched in Mexico in 2016, it has grown rapidly-- the green backpacks are now ubiquitous.

(3) The couriers work long hours for little pay-- most deliveries pay between 30 and 60 pesos, ($1.58 to $3.17). On top of that, injuries and robberies are common.

(4) I interviewed 8 people who had been injured on the job. None of them received compensation from Uber's insurance policy. Broken arms, clavicles, fibulas, noses, stabbings-- I heard a lot of gnarly stories.

(5) Since last November, cars and trucks have killed five Uber Eats workers in Mexico. The deaths took place in CDMX, Puebla, Queretaro and Puerto Vallarta. Fellow Uber Eats riders have donated to the families. Uber would not confirm whether the families have been compensated.

(6) I spoke to a Mexican labor lawyer, who thinks the only solution is regulating the apps to ensure workers' rights. He says working for Uber is just as precarious as an informal sector job-- the types of jobs many people are trying to escape when they sign up for the app.

(7) W/ little help from Uber or the govt, workers have banded together, using Facebook and Whatsapp to network. They show up on the scenes of crashes, to help their fellow workers and demand compensation from drivers. Initiatives like @repartidorr are making the dangers visible.