In a recent paper, they examined the situation in Ghana. Interviewed drivers, riders, car owners and other scholars who are researching Ghana’s ride-hailing industry. They found that the popular narrative of blaming the industry’s precarious labour conditions on ride-hailing companies is problematic. It deflects attention from the structural enablers of the conditions (which predate the companies), while fomenting life-threatening hatred for the drivers who work with them. Their analysis draws attention to the need to address the broader societal influences of labour exploitation in Ghana’s urban transport sector. These include the inadequate prioritisation of the creation of adequate, secure jobs and strong labour protections. Ghana can learn from the emerging developments in the US and the UK, where lawmakers and the courts are strengthening labour protections for gig workers, including ride-hailing company drivers. In some Australian cities, like Sydney, lawmakers introduced rules that created an equal playing field for taxis and ride-hailing companies.
SOURCE: THE CONVERSATION
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