Delivery workers navigate a pandemic, protests and curfews to make ends meet

CNN — For months, gig workers have had to navigate all the complications and fears that can come with making deliveries during a pandemic, trying to stay safe while still doing enough to earn a living. A spokesperson for Caviar, which is owned by DoorDash, said the company is “alarmed” by the reports and that it is “gathering information and is in contact with City officials to determine what transpired.” New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio tweeted that the incident is “NOT acceptable and must stop.” The video is one of several that has spread on social media this week purporting to show delivery workers being arrested for doing their jobs. Concerning its workers in New York City, a spokesperson said the company “will offer legal support to Eats delivery people if they are wrongly arrested for violating the curfew while delivering on the app and aggressively petition City Hall and the NYPD on their behalf.” With millions of Americans out of work and an unemployment rate of 13.3%, the gig economy may have an increased allure for some people as a way to keep earning money right now. Some, like Daniel Amram, a delivery worker for Postmates, Caviar and Uber Eats in New York City, said the fear kept him home the first night of the curfew but he has been able to largely work as normal since, with a tight deadline to stop before subway service ends for the evening. Others, like Ron Walter, a delivery worker for DoorDash, Uber Eats and Grubhub in Denver, said he’s been strategically driving outside city limits to the suburbs to avoid bumping up against the curfew.