Event Details

The lesser of two evils? Explaining Chinese rural migrant workers’ preference for on-demand food delivery work with reference to the legal framework

Abstract

Drawing on a series of interviews with on-demand food delivery riders, who are rural migrant workers, this paper seeks to explain the workers’ decision to give up stable jobs in factories in favour of largely unregulated and precarious on-demand work. Focusing on those aspects of the legal framework which shape workers’ decisions, it presents the explanation under the dual banners of ‘income’ and ‘freedom and flexibility’. In terms of income, Chinese law often enables low factory wages and a reliance on overtime. For historical and practical reasons, migrant workers view social insurance contributions as a loss. In terms of freedom and flexibility, factory workers’ right to rest is limited and vague, leading to inadequate breaks during long, repetitive assembly line work. The unspecified ‘special working time’ allows for physically unbearable shift work without extra compensation. Whereas age and gender discrimination are ubiquitous in factories and other sectors, moreover, on-demand delivery work has comparatively low barriers to entry.

Join us in Infolab C60b,c or on Teams