The latest chapter in the decades-long struggle seeking justice for Chevron’s crimes in Ecuador is taking place in Canada right now. Unfortunately, as the years grind by the issues being debated get further and further away from the substantive problems of environmental contamination and human suffering, and the process becomes stuck in a legal quicksand of Chevron’s design. The hearings before the Ontario Court of Appeals this week were a perfect example of that.

Amazon Watch continues to bear witness to this ongoing perversion of justice, both because we ourselves are a target of Chevron’s attacks, and also because the cynical strategy the oil giant employs is a real and present danger to corporate accountability work everywhere. For that reason we attended the hearings in Toronto this week along with artist and activist Roger Waters, founding member of Pink Floyd. Waters spoke to the media to express his outrage at Chevron’s endless legal maneuvers to escape justice for its crimes.

“It’s a fundamental question of whether corporations like Chevron … should be allowed to use their financial muscle to destroy people with an absolutely vital claim to reparations for damages that were caused to them over many years,” Waters said before the hearing. “The way Chevron has behaved here is against everything that any of us might believe society ought to be like.”

You’ve heard about the “gig economy,” right? It refers to the new model of work where apps like Instacart, Lyft, Uber, Postmates — and dozens more — hire workers for on-demand services. Gig economy work can include on-demand drivers, delivery people, home cleaners, child care workers…and just about any other service you can think of.

The Center for American Progress has just released a report about workers’ rights in the gig economy, and it’s a big step in making sure gig workers are included in the national conversation about workers’ rights!

It’s linked below if you want to check out the full report, but here are the basics. The report explains that workers in the gig economy often don’t have access to the same benefits and protections that every worker needs because the companies choose to classify them as “independent contractors.” And it points out that contractors like gig workers increasingly say they desire both the flexibility of gig work AND needed benefits.

It also makes three basic recommendations for policies that cities & states can pass to protect gig economy workers:

1. A minimum wage that covers independent contractors.

2. Creating a way for gig workers to access needed benefits (like health insurance, unemployment, and more).

3. Creating a board that brings together workers, companies, & the government to set labor standards in the gig economy.

Now that you know a little bit about work in the gig economy, what do YOU think about these recommendations? Take our quick poll to let us know what you’re thinking!

Another cool piece of news that’s tied to this: WA is already hard at work on recommendation #2! WA State Rep. Monica Stonier has announced that she’s going to introduce a bill in the WA Legislature to give gig workers access to benefits.

That means WA could lead the way on workers’ rights in the gig economy — just like we’ve led the way on raising the minimum wage, making sure all workers have access to paid sick days and paid family leave, & more.

Thanks!
– Emily, Working WA