‘If He Just Knew Who We Were’ : Microworkers’ Emerging Bonds of Attachment in a Fragmented Employment Relationship

Panteli, Niki and Rapti, Andriana and Scholarios, Dora (2020) ‘If He Just Knew Who We Were’ : Microworkers’ Emerging Bonds of Attachment in a Fragmented Employment Relationship. Work, Employment and Society, 34 (3). pp. 476-494. ISSN 0950-0170

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Abstract

Using the lens of attachment, we explore microworkers’ views of their employment relationship. Microwork comprises short-term, task-focused exchanges with large numbers of end-users (requesters), implying transitory and transactional relationships. Other key parties, however, include the platform which digitally meditates worker–requester relationships and the online microworker community. We explore the nature of attachment with these parties and the implications for microworkers’ employment experiences. Using data from a workers’ campaign directed at Amazon Mechanical Turk and CEO Jeff Bezos, we demonstrate multiple, dynamic bonds – primarily acquiescence and instrumental bonds – towards requesters and the platform, and identification with the online community. Microworkers also expressed dedication towards the platform. We consider how attachment buffers the exploitative employment relationship and how community bonds mobilise collective worker voice.

Item Type:
Journal Article
Journal or Publication Title:
Work, Employment and Society
Additional Information:
Publisher Copyright: © The Author(s) 2020.
Uncontrolled Keywords:
/dk/atira/pure/subjectarea/asjc/1400/1402
Subjects:
?? digital labouremployment relationshipgig economymicroworkersplatform labourwork attachmentaccountingsociology and political scienceeconomics and econometricsorganizational behavior and human resource management ??
ID Code:
206159
Deposited By:
Deposited On:
06 Oct 2023 13:25
Refereed?:
Yes
Published?:
Published
Last Modified:
12 Dec 2024 00:34