Sociological Types of Precarity Among Gig Workers: Lived Experiences of Food Delivery Workers in Riga
In an article published in Social Inclusion journal, we examine the lived experiences of precariousness in gig work, a growing sector of the modern labor market. We identify five types of gig workers based on 56 in‐depth interviews with food delivery gig workers in Riga, the capital of Latvia. We analyze differences in our respondents’ motivations for choosing this work, their position, and historical mobility in the social structure. Based on this analysis, we find three factors that serve as a basis for a typology of food delivery workers in Riga: gig workers’ view of gig work as a temporary vs. a long‐term engagement, the breadth of perceived opportunities available, and their emotional satisfaction with the job. We discuss how these findings compare with other studies on gig work and gig workers’ subjective experiences.
