The Uber platform has introduced a subscription fee for its workers in yet another country—this time, Argentina. In practice, the system offers those working as drivers or couriers two types of subscriptions:
The first is a time-based subscription, where one pays for access over a specific duration (e.g., 24 or 72 hours), allowing for an unlimited number of tasks to be completed.
The second option is a subscription with an earnings cap. Here, an upfront fee grants the worker the right to earn income with a reduced (or zero) commission rate, up to a predetermined earnings threshold.
Why is Uber introducing this subscription model? Because it is highly profitable for the platform. First, it creates an additional, guaranteed revenue stream. Second, it shifts market risk even further onto the worker: if there are few requests on a given day, the worker—having already paid the subscription fee—bears the loss. Furthermore, such a “tethered” worker is much easier to manipulate; the platform can pay less per individual task, while the worker is incentivized to remain available for longer. It also discourages working for multiple platforms simultaneously. All of this stems from the fact that the worker begins their shift already “in the red” (having paid the fee), which, from the platform’s perspective, serves as an excellent “motivating factor.”
#zentrale_international
And by the way:
There is 1 month and 4 days left until the implementation of the Directive on Platform Work.