Georgii Stalinov
The Practice of Reproducing Solidarity among Truckers, Couriers and Taxi Drivers
Couriers, taxi drivers and truckers are atomized workers who move daily in public spaces outside of work collectives. Nevertheless, they are able to maintain community solidarity through self-organizing practices. I compare the practices of interaction and mutual assistance in three groups through the theory of structuration by E. Giddens. The work is based on observations and interviews collected on 45 trips with truckers, as well as a systematic review of scientific articles describing the self-organization of couriers and taxi drivers.
Truckers, couriers and taxi drivers reproduce labor solidarity through self-organization practices implemented “face to face” and in virtual space. I have typologized practices according to their functions and the level of altruism. I have categorized these practices according to their functions and levels of altruism. Of particular importance in reproducing self-organization within a community are spatial points where workers meet daily on their routes, communicate with each other during stops, and wait for orders. Solidarity encompasses large masses of logistics workers, as weak ties arise within the labor communities of entire cities or even states (among truckers), rather than in local offices and enterprises. Platform couriers and taxi drivers, due to their ability to manage their own time, have more freedom for self-organization than hired truckers who work under restrictions and rules imposed by employers. However, under conditions of spatial remoteness, employers are not always able to exercise control over the activities of their subordinates; therefore, “free spaces” are formed in which employees can violate established rules with impunity.