Yeni kapitalizm ve İstanbul'daki dijital platform çalışanı kuryeler

The 1980s are considered a turning point in Turkey's neoliberalization process. This transformation in the world and in Turkey brought about a number of changes in labor relations as a result of technological advances. These have had various effects, both positive and negative, on the functioning of companies and the lives of workers. In this context, new work models were developed in the wake of the new capitalism, witnessing the emergence of a new subject qualified as neoliberal, who was expected to be rational, self-interested and self-entrepreneurial in all areas of life. But this same subject was also more vulnerable, fragile and condemned to precarious conditions than ever before. One of the areas in which these characteristics of the new capitalism, which condemns the subject to a precarious existence while expecting him to be an entrepreneur, have been most evident is the platform economy. The flexibilization of working conditions has led to the discourse of "come and be your own boss!" In short, the post-war mode of work has given way to a more flexible, more autonomous, but more precarious one Similarly, the model that best describes courier work in the new capitalism is the "gig economy". "Gig" is a concept in English and originally stands for a shortened form of engagement used by jazz musicians. As for the economy, it means the economy of odd jobs with short-term employment. The work regime of couriers corresponds perfectly to the gig economy, because it mainly involves piecework, and they are legally partners of the company that employs them. In this environment characterized by the gig economy, the transition to increasingly flexible working models accelerated during the pandemic process, when e-commerce grew rapidly, creating unprecedented demand for couriers and transforming their mode of employment. Before the pandemic, couriers were employed as salaried workers. However, the pandemic triggered a transition from salaried to self-employed work in this sector. Initially, this transition was based on incentives under the slogan "everyone will be their own boss". After a while, self-employment became an obligation. The "Esnaf courier" was born. In this model, couriers are considered independent contractors and earn an income based on the number of parcels they deliver and/or the duration of their work. However, in the event of accident or illness, they cannot work and therefore cannot receive any income. In addition, under the new work regime, the motocourier who pays his own social insurance is responsible for vehicle expenses such as fuel, maintenance and repairs. And finally, as a legally independent contractor, each motorcourier must work with an accountant, which creates an additional expense. This study examines how motorcouriers, who are transforming themselves into the Esnaf couriers on the one hand, and gradually losing their protected working conditions on the other, make sense of this transformation. Do they see themselves as workers or merchants? Do they think their incomes have increased in this new working model? Do they think it's fair to be deprived of the social rights associated with salaried work? How do they see their future? In this research, which is based on data obtained from a field survey conducted through semi-structured interviews with couriers as part of qualitative research techniques, we understand that the interviewees do not consider their profession as a real job, but as a job they do to avoid unemployment. Furthermore, we will see that the employment model in the form of the Esnaf couriers does not allow couriers to individualize themselves in a positive sense, and that the main function of this model is to weaken the channels of collective struggle for the defense of rights and the unionizing activities of couriers.