As he's moved to the U.K. from Afghanistan in 2015 to join his family, finding himself in London, he tried many different types of work.
Before a year ago, becoming a new driver. Now he works on three different right platforms.
Having completed nearly 4000 trips, but he still remembers his first ever ride as if it were yesterday.
Well, to be honest, I was in a panic situation because I was my first child as a driver in England, especially in London.
And I was I was really excited.
And at that time, same boat. And I receive.
I mean, a job I accepted and I was looking at myself and I was like, she does have that.
I went there and the customer had some staff, too. I mean, to load on the car, I was thinking, oh, it's been gone.
Do I have to be like a van man or something like that?
I try. I had the customer and at the middle of the journey I thought to talk with the customer.
I said, You're my first customer. And I start very new and you are my first customer.
And the customer was quite like he was he was telling.
Oh, yes. You drive very smooth. Nice. I like your car.
December at the end of their trip, I got depressed when I was like I said, oh, well, that's good.
Thirty two pound plus five there. So that was no bad.
And I said, oh, if it is like this, I'll keep continue.
And then like that was the way that was. There was the things that encouraged me to do to work a little bit more and focus on what I'm doing now.
And yeah, that was that was my first journey, which I thought was really I mean,
I'm Ruby Waran and this is if I could cast a dive into the lives of the people working in the gate.
Me. In this episode, we look at conditions.
What's it like working during a pandemic? Serving your community and keeping the country running?
How do you deal with sickness and the need to self isolate in the absence of official protection?
And how do you navigate the daily difficulties you encounter on the streets?
When no one's got your back. As easy as work to the right.
How driver for over a year now? Generally, he's been happy with the work and with his wage, which he says averages around 20 pounds an hour.
But since the pandemic, workers become increasingly scarce and he's struggled to make a living.
I asked Aziz what his motivations were for working during the pandemic.
Well, as a human being, we have to respect each other and we have to be kind to each other.
And when I see the situation that the people, especially the stuff, they already put their life at risk.
And I was thinking as a human being, why I'm not going to help. And so I went out and I helped them.
I transport them. I take them. Like, most of the time we we take like 80 percent of our job.
And it's just life and transport people as well, like the bus drivers to train drivers and some other misses.
I mean, essential. Yeah. And do you feel like IBA supported you during the pandemic?
Unfortunately, I can say now. Like I had at the beginning of the pandemic, I had a favour and I have a coughing as well.
And I called the GP and GP said that you have to be sort of isolate yourself.
And then they sent me a letter as well. The knife attack the letter and send them over.
I mean, customer service at the end. They say that in the post.
I mean, they suspend my account for 14 days and at the end I receive hundred twenty pounds.
And I was in my opinion, that was nothing for 14 days.
You sent me hundred twenty pound. And basically everybody knows and this is like as per the employment policies and rules like we need to have at
least a sick leave because we're working for over platform and we give them lots of benefits like they charge us.
Twenty five percent dementia. So at least from that money, they should have helped us the money which we earned for them.
Similar to many drivers as each has experienced violence at work and found the platforms unwilling to support him.
I had a customer. I receive a job. Months ago, months ago, I received a job.
When I went there, there were four Tanager boys that they took it and one off my.
And when I went to the edge, I mean, to pick up area. I see that there are four customers and they don't look good to me.
They come and say, I said the name. You said.
Yes, I am. I said, I can only take you three of you guys because at 19 we are not allowed to have four passenger cars.
So if three of you will come to my car, I'm happy to take you guys.
Otherwise, I will cancel the trip. You will not get charge.
So this is this is a help from my side. Otherwise, I have to show.
I have to, like, cancel, you know, show which I can get paid for it.
But I do a favour for you guys. I would just cancel the trip so you can request an Excel, which is being a car.
And I'm doing over X sir. They said no, you have to take us.
I said, I don't have to take you. And then they started an argument and my right side when my window was let down.
So I was about to touch my phone to call some police or something because they became a Levithan.
So they just they grabbed my phone. And the other guy punch on the.
I mean, on this glass, the other one went and just take that.
So I was in a panic, I said, and they showed the knife as well.
I see the knife. Then I was terrified and I said, what's going on?
And I was in a parking lot, like, I just drive very fast in order to escape from these guys.
But when I went there, that was close. So I just U-turn back and these guys are running after me.
Members of the public stepped in to include the police, but as he's lost his phone and his car sustained damage to the bumper.
After that, I called the company and the company suspend my account for one month during investigation and I called the police.
And the sad part, which I haven't received any compensation for nothing.
Neither from the pleas and no from the company which I was involved, like the loan company.
And how does that make you feel when you don't get any support from the company?
Well, definitely. I wasn't supplying it and I was not happy.
The company needs to at least give us appreciation, support to get a driver because that customer was interviewed by this company.
I never knew. I never did. I never knew this customer. So because of based on the reference of the company and the company doesn't help me at all.
And I fix my car. I lost my phone. And that was the thanks.
I was really, really, really disappointed. And some time that that that time I was thinking to leave this to be ours.
Versus not worth it because you're it your life. I mean, your life is at risk.
And there's not no safety at all. This is what I.
I think that's what happened to me. And it happened to so many driver.
Thanks to all these for sharing his story.
Many workers in the gig economy experience risks within the course of their work, from violence and intimidation to sickness and injury.
Current structure of keek work means that platforms have no legal obligation to reduce the risks that work effects,
nor to compensate them when they cannot work at the Fair Work Foundation.
We believe the platform should take a proactive approach to ensuring that workers are as safe as possible through provisions such as training,
wellbeing, initiative and health insurance.
We're actively campaigning to improve the conditions for good workers around the world and hold platforms to account.
You can find out more. This podcast was written and produced by There'll Be Way with Composition by Louis.