Working on Digital Platforms and the Covid-19 Pandemic
Research indicates precarious working conditions on platforms during the pandemic and Covid-19 infection rates among workers higher than the national average.
The study Work on Digital Platforms and the COVID-19 Pandemic: Analysis of PNAD COVID-19/IBGE Data, developed in 2021, reveals important data about work on digital platforms in Brazil.
Research shows that:
- Most workers on digital platforms are male.
- 94.94% of workers on digital platforms are drivers;
- 59.20% are Black, constituting the largest racial group among platform workers;
- 38% of delivery workers are between 20 and 29 years old;
- 28% of drivers are between 30 and 39 years old; and
- Most workers, including drivers and delivery personnel, have completed high school.
In addition, the study points to variations in income and working hours throughout the months of the pandemic, showing that the highest national average income was R$ 1,508.02 in November, but that there are states, such as Bahia, where the average income was R$ 754.07.
The survey also shows that the pandemic has brought health issues to the fore, with Covid-19 infection rates higher than the national average among these workers, who risked their lives to maintain their income.
Ultimately, the research reveals that platform work in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic has accentuated ongoing structural changes in the workplace, introducing the concept of the“just-in-time”worker, who is always available but is only paid for the specific tasks they perform.
