I recently received the phone call every parent dreads: my 36-year-old son was in the hospital with a 90% blockage in his artery. But instead of rushing to his side, I was trapped—confined by the so-called “freedom” of the gig economy.
I couldn’t afford the plane ticket. I hadn’t even paid my rent for the month. As a self-employed worker, there’s no paid time off, no sick leave, no emergency fund to rely on. This isn’t freedom.This isn’t flexibility. This is economic precarity masquerading as opportunity.
In the U.S, as of 2022, “36% of the U.S. workforce, or 58 million people are independent (gig) workers, a significant increase from 27% in 2016.”
I remember when work came with protections—pensions, paid time off, vacation days, 401(k)s, workers’ compensation, medical benefits. I had those things once. Then, in 1999, after a conviction for welfare fraud, it all vanished. I wasn’t given a chance to repay the money; I was simply cast out, forced into unstable, low-wage work without basic protections.
More than 25 years ago, I was forced to make an impossible decision—either take a deal and avoid jail so I could raise my son, or risk incarceration and be separated from him. I chose to take five years of felony probation to be able to stay home and take care of my son.
Today, I find myself making another impossible decision: choosing between being with my son when he needs me most or staying behind because I simply cannot afford to go. The systemic failures that once pushed me into economic instability are still shaping my life.
My son is alive, and for that, I’m grateful. But I still haven’t been able to see him—not because I don’t want to, but because I can’t afford to.
Proponents of the gig economy say you should feel lucky to have flexibility. But what good is flexibility without stability?
A Boston University study debunks the myth that gig work offers true benefits, showing that most workers face unpredictable schedules and economic insecurity. Another Transport Workers’ Union survey found that gig workers overwhelmingly prioritize fair pay and safety over so-called flexibility.
The reality is clear—financial instability is an unavoidable consequence for millions—one that claims pensions and benefits are relics, and independent work is the future. Particularly since COVID, more Americans turned to gig work and most do not report high incomes.
According to Statista, 55 percent report income under $50,000 annually. “However, financial motivations also vary among contingent workers, and gig work is not always a primary source of income.”
Many gig workers report not being paid for completed work, as “51 percent of freelancers have experienced wage theft at least once, and 44 percent of respondents believe this is because freelancers are not taken seriously. “
This situation underscores a systemic failure. Millions are one emergency away from financial ruin because standard protections have eroded. While corporate executives amass wealth, too many are scrambling to make ends meet.
This isn’t about bad luck. It’s about policy choices that prioritize corporate profits over people’s lives. The random layoffs of thousands of federal workers by the Department of Government Efficiency spearheaded by the richest man in the world, Elon Musk, demonstrates this precisely.
The Republican budget threatens to make things even worse. The proposed budget includes significant cuts to Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), amounting to $880 billion and $230 billion respectively, all while granting $4.5 trillion in tax cuts to the wealthy.
Rep. Barbara Lee, (D-Cal.) and Rep.Shontel Brown, (D-Ohio) have spoken out against these cuts and their devastating impact on working families and gig workers. These actions further erode the already tinsel-thin safety net.
The federal minimum wage remains stagnant at $7.25 per hour, unchanged since 2009, failing to adjust for inflation or regional cost disparities, as noted in the Department of Labor Minimum Wage History.
I was making $7.25 an hour in the 1980s. When I became a union cashier, I started at $9 an hour, and by the time I left in 1992, I was a journeyman cashier making $17.25 an hour when rent for a two-bedroom apartment was $675 a month.
Today, the average rent for a similar apartment in Los Angeles has soared to approximately $3,002, according to Apartments.com. This stark increase highlights the growing disparity between wages and living costs over the past few decades.
Even those earning close to $70,000 a year—once considered a solid middle-class income—are struggling to cover basic housing expenses.
In Los Angeles County, for instance, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has determined that a single-person household earning up to $77,700 qualifies as low income highlighting how that salary fails to cover basic expenses, as determined in the HUD Report.
A study by the California Budget & Policy Center highlights the disparity between official poverty measures and the actual cost of living. Their “Making Ends Meet” analysis presents basic family budgets for each of California’s 58 counties, illustrating the true expenses faced by households.
Consumers have recognized the power of collective action, as demonstrated by the February 28 economic blackout where people were urged not to make any purchases that day except in small local businesses.The suggested week-long boycott of Amazon this month is the next economic protest.
Americans must demand to update the outdated federal poverty guidelines that fail to account for regional cost variations. To address this, it is urgent for policy makers to adjust the federal minimum wage to reflect regional living costs. This ensures workers earn enough to meet basic needs, regardless of location.
It is also necessary to revise federal poverty levels andupdate poverty thresholds to reflect current economic realities, enabling more individuals to qualify for necessary assistance programs. Americans must demand an economy that works for all—not just for the ultra-wealthy. It’s time to stop normalizing struggle and demand better.
No one should have to choose between their family’s health and financial survival. No parent should ever have to decide between showing up for their child and affording basic survival. This fight isn’t just about wages or policies—it’s about the future for everyone.
My son survived, but the system that put me in this position still stands. The power to change it is in collective action—and it starts now.
