The Gig Economy Project

The urban dimension in food delivery struggle: The story of the Riders Union Bologna

The Gig Economy Project

Show Notes

How does the urban space and urban politics shape the relationship between food delivery platforms and their riders? In an article published in Social Europe at the end of June, Maurilio Pirone explores this question through the experience of the Riders Union in Bologna, which he was a founding member of.

The Riders Union was an inspiring example of workers’ self-organisation. Beginning with strikes and blockades in Bologna, the riders quickly realised they had to build alliances with riders in other cities and take their demands to politicians in Rome.

Pirone is now a junior researcher in the Inca project at the University of Bologna, and a member of the ‘Into the Black Box’ collective. In this podcast, the Gig Economy Project speaks to Pirone about:

01:36: The story of the Riders Union in Bologna

18:59: The urban dimension in food delivery struggles

36:08: The contemporary dynamics in the Italian platform economy and Italian politics

More from The Gig Economy Project

Jun 29, 2024

A Rebel’s Guide to the Gig Economy is a series of podcasts by journalist Ben Wray and researcher Marini Thorne which gets behind the tech jargon and the CEO propaganda to examine the reality of work in the gig economy and look at how gig workers can challenge the power of their algorithmic bosses.

Jun 27, 2024

A Rebel’s Guide to the Gig Economy is a series of podcasts by journalist Ben Wray and researcher Marini Thorne which gets behind the tech jargon and the CEO propaganda to examine the reality of work in the gig economy and look at how gig workers can challenge the power of their algorithmic bosses.

Jun 25, 2024

A Rebel's Guide to the Gig Economy is a series of podcasts by journalist Ben Wray and researcher Marini Thorne which gets behind the tech jargon and the CEO propaganda to examine the reality of work in the gig economy and look at how gig workers can challenge the power of their algorithmic bosses.

Jun 21, 2024

A Rebel's Guide to the Gig Economy is a series of podcasts by journalist Ben Wray and researcher Marini Thorne which gets behind the tech jargon and the CEO propaganda to examine the reality of work in the gig economy and look at how gig workers can challenge the power of their algorithmic bosses.

Jun 19, 2024

A Rebel's Guide to the Gig Economy is a series of podcasts by journalist Ben Wray and researcher Marini Thorne which gets behind the tech jargon and the CEO propaganda to examine the reality of work in the gig economy and look at how gig workers can challenge the power of their algorithmic bosses.

See all episodes →