Rival food delivery services DoorDash and Instacart have entered into an unlikely alliance in BC, working with Earnscliffe Strategies to launch “Protect Flex Work,” a digital awareness campaign pushing back against the province’s recently passed Bill 48.
The bill amends the British Columbia Employment Standards Act (ESA) and Workers Compensation Act (WCA), changing the employment status of “online platform workers” from independent contractors to employees and workers, respectively. While the sections that pertain to gig workers are not yet in effect, they would apply to all food delivery workers for services such as DoorDash, Uber Eats, Instacart, and SkipTheDishes.
“The proposed changes address workers' priority concerns, such as low and unpredictable wages, being cut off from the job without warning, and a lack of workers' compensation coverage if injured,” reported Canadian Lawyer Magazine. But DoorDash and Instacart say some of the new rules could threaten other aspects of the industry that many of their workers rely on– like flexibility and extra earning opportunities. They hope to encourage the provincial government to keep consulting with delivery drivers to ensure their perspectives are considered.
They’ve collaborated on a dedicated microsite hosting a series of ads and video testimonials from gig-workers and business owners opposed to the new legislation. The material is also being shared through social and paid media ads.
The video testimonials highlight gig workers’ positive feelings about the flexible nature of their work. “The ability to work on days when I have lots of energy vs days when I have little energy is very helpful,” says Erin. P, an Instacart driver with a permanent disability. “To have a program where I can make my own hours, I get to feel proud of myself and like I’m a valuable member of society.”
“We came together with a shared concern about the impact the legislation in BC will have on consumers, merchants and app-based workers,” DoorDash’s head of Canada policy and government relations, Brian Kaufmann, told Campaign.
“The government’s proposed legislation is a risky experiment that’s been rushed through the stakeholder process and could eliminate earnings opportunities for shoppers, increase prices for consumers, and reduce revenue for retailers in an already challenging economy for British Columbians,” added a representative for Instacart.
After sharing their concerns with the BC government, the brands said they want to ensure that the grassroot perspective is also heard. The provincial government previously published its own testimonials in a Nov. 16 press release, quoting gig-workers who welcome the policy changes.
“We are providing first-hand accounts of what this work means to our Dashers, and what it means to the merchants who have been able to expand their customer base because of the home delivery service our Dashers provide,” said Kaufmann.
Protect Flex Work - Daphne S from Protect Flex Work on Vimeo.
