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Working between two pandemics: contagion and insecurity

Ubereats guys adapt to the new contexts implanted by the pandemic, without secure income, without job security, and under criminal harassment

HIGHLIGHTS

Working between two pandemics: contagion and insecurity


May 14th, 2020

Since before the pandemic, distributing food with the Ubereats platform became an emerging labor alternative for Alán due to the shortage of employment and low wages in the Toluca Valley, however with the passing of weeks and in the middle of " The world's most unusual health contingency", mass layoffs and social paralysis, his job as a “delivery man”, is an enviable gem, except for two risks: potential infections and insecurity.

To counter the first, which could be deadly, Alan fights it with intense and frequent sanitation of all his equipment and rigorous self-protection measures, paid by his reduced pocket, while for the second, everything indicates that only one thing could work: luck.

Fighting to survive two pandemics, the Covid19 and the growing insecurity in Edomex and particularly in Toluca, the food delivery people come and go through a entrenched capital where before the increase of the coronavirus statistics (6 thousand 813 confirmed cases at the level state and 238 in Toluca, with 14 deaths), were positioned as indispensable, but almost invisible workers.

Two months after the social distancing was launched and people survive in the home confinement, TheObserverMéx obtained the testimony of Alan and Alejandro, Ubereats distributors like thousands who integrate the informal sector (more than 50% in Mexico) cannot afford to assume the "Stay at Home", as doing so would, paradoxically, translate into a "Stay without eating".

And it's true. The most recent data available regarding job loss in the country, indicate that from March 18 to April 28, 707 thousand 505 formal jobs had already been lost in Mexico, according to an IMSS report, while at the level state estimated an estimated 18 thousand people who have been out of work since the contingency began, as declared just a week ago by the president of the 60 Local Legislature, Maurilio Hernández.

This, while the Federal Attorney for Labor Defense, had already received, until the end of last April, at least 3,800 complaints of unjustified dismissal throughout the country.

In the midst of this panorama of labor uncertainty, Alan and Alejandro are now one of the few workers in Mexico, who despite not having a fixed remuneration, have not remained on the street either. These are their testimonies.

Alan Gomez, 21 years old, assures that the work has increased as a result of the contingency for the Covid-19.

Alan is currently dedicated full-time to food delivery. And one of the factors that he considers negative on the part of the company, is that he did not provide him with prevention materials such as face masks, antibacterial gel, or masks. However, he had to buy it on his own so that later, according to Ubereats, he would make the refund.

The point that stands out in favor is that from the beginning of phase 1, the platform kept them up to date through messages and news, which would allow them to take extreme precautions.

Alan already worked at Ubereats since before the pandemic and works from Tuesday to Sunday, and his free day is taken on Monday since he considers that they do not make enough orders.

His transport is a motorcycle, but when moving throughout the Toluca Valley at all times, this is a means of contagion, therefore, Alan washes his motorcycle once a week, and from his point of view, with it, it does not run any risk, because since nobody touches it, the chances of getting Covid-19 are almost nil.

He explained that the backpack in which he carries food is sanitized before leaving each restaurant where he picks up the order before delivery.

I bring sterilized gloves and a bottle with antibacterial gel to use every time it comes in contact with money or commonly used surfaces, in addition to carrying a mouthpiece at all times, which does not take off even when you ride the motorcycle, because now that the Coronavirus infections are at their peak of transmission, he knows that the possibility of acquiring the virus is much higher.

Diners, as customers are called, have also decided to take their own preventive measures, since according to Alan, in some of the orders he serves, customers previously request that food be delivered to their doorstep. he stressed.

Despite the danger posed by their mobilization in various parts of Toluca, and being in contact with various areas of common use, the platform did not increase their profit quotas. However, fortunately for them, the number of orders has increased.

If before the contingency, the issue of security was a problem for Ubereats workers, now it is even more so, since there are not so many passers-by and vehicles on the streets, because they remain in the running of the bulls, now they are more vulnerable to assault and robbery.

"I have heard from several guys who have stolen the motorcycle, and others who have wanted to take it away, that's why I think that crime has increased at this time. And regarding accidents I have noticed that they have decreased ”, he stressed.

From their point of view, the number of Ubereats workers has increased, due to the loss of jobs or the temporary recess that many people had to accept, and who saw this platform as a way to continue generating income.

The earnings of Ubereats partners have dropped quite a bit due to the health contingency, Alan said. However, this also has to do with the time it takes each worker to generate more money.

We could think that in these moments of a health crisis, there are eccentrics of cleaning and health that take prevention measures to extraordinary levels, therefore, we question Alan if he has suffered from rejection or negative attitudes of clients, to which he responded that so far, he has not gone through an experience like this, and the most serious thing that has happened to him, is that the clients get upset when the food does not arrive almost immediately, or, in less presentable conditions.

In front of that, Alan, assures that it is an issue that goes beyond the Ubereats workers, since it is usually the restaurant that takes too long to prepare the food, and in the case where the food arrives spilled or unpresentable, it is due to that establishments do not pack correctly.

According to Alan, the majority of customer inconvenience is due to the late delivery of orders.

Regarding the issue of tips, he stated that they have increased a little, perhaps 10% or 15%, because customers are a little more aware of the role they play abroad and the exposure to the disease to a greater extent: "If up, because there are some diners who are cool, for example before, I took a 100 pesos tip, and now 150 or 200, although the amount is always different.

Finally, Alan highlighted that due to the impact that the economy has suffered from all sectors, the number of restaurants that have been linked to the application, in order not to drop their businesses and continue generating income, have been even more than before they were before Covid-19.

-Alejandro Pulido, 42 years old

He has a job at a finance company, and because he can no longer attend, he spends part of his time working on this fast-food platform.

Alejandro is a married man, and according to him, his wife expresses the discomfort and concern generated by the fact of exposing himself to the crime that, like Alan, he considers has increased as a result of empty streets or with less traffic.

Fortunately, if there is work on the platform, Alejandro mentioned, however, he believes that crime is a determining factor in reducing the hours he employs, or outright not wanting to go out and make deliveries.

"I think crime has increased, unlike we were before this because practically all my colleagues have been assaulted or have been about to be assaulted. And regarding the issue of accidents, I consider that they have decreased because there is less traffic, however, motorists are passing roads at excess speed, "he said.

He knows that according to statistics from the National Executive Secretariat for Public Security (SENSP), the crime incidence in the entire State of Mexico grew by 16% in the last year, if the crime incidence indicators of the first two months of 2019 to the first two months of 2020, with a higher incidence in patrimonial crimes in all its variants, that is, robberies, in addition to extortions and femicides.

Therefore, the concerns of the "Ubereats" are not unfounded, the hard data also shows a consistent increase, with variable peaks, in local crime. The INEGI statistics also confirm this, since the latest ENSU survey, which measures the perception of social insecurity among the population, places Toluca, with an increase of practically four percentage points in recent months, when passing an indicator from 84.7 December 2019 to 88.4 in March 2020.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, Alejandro believes that for Ubereats, the issue of safety and health could be "irrelevant", because so far, the platform has not reimbursed them for what they have invested in mouthguards and sanitizing gel, in addition, it does not give faith that the company shows due attention or has any consideration for its workers.

"They are not interested in knowing that we are on the street exposing ourselves, on the contrary, they are only looking for excuses to block us and take us off the platform."

Finally, Alejandro explained that he spends most of the day in this job, with a schedule from 2:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. during the week, and on weekends he spends all-day

Staff

Translator: Martín Caballero

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