Labor practices in platform-based employment: a case study of taxi drivers

Abstract

This article presents the results of a sociological study examining the work practices of taxi drivers employed on digital platforms. Primary sociological data was collected through in-depth personal interviews. Fifteen taxi drivers from various Russian cities (Yaroslavl, Belgorod, Vladimir, Volgograd, Kostroma, Krasnodar, Moscow, and St. Petersburg) served as informants. It was found that the platformization of taxi drivers' work is transforming all the key parameters of traditional employment. Informants used platform employment as a strategy to adapt to instability, rather than making a conscious choice of their career and working conditions. Most drivers were forced to use the platform employment due to job losses as a result of dismissal, economic crises, or a lack of alternative employment options. The digital platform transforms taxi driver work into a highly individualized form of employment. Drivers are excluded from stable work teams. Taxi drivers' work is characterized by irregular hours, unstable income, and a lack of social benefits (sick leave and vacation pay). Drivers bear the costs associated with operating a vehicle as a means of production. They do not perceive their work as meaningful, reporting emotional burnout and a loss of meaning in their work.