Expand Quote
The last word is crucial I think. Most skaters are not employees in the traditional sense, but independent contractors.
The system is sold to potential employees as freedom/flexibility on the job; for a company, the benefit is freedom from health/social responsibility towards their contractors.
So t know how it is in the USA but in Australia you still have a duty of care to a contractor you engage.
Yeah, it's not really like that in the USA.
Basically, corporations look for loopholes so they can benefit of the services of people but not actually have to take care of them. They hire a bunch of ppl to do the same job and never let anyone hit 40 hrs so they don't have to pay health benefits, they find ways around paying overtime, etc.
As with the recent law in CA that passed where employees could continue to be deemed "independent contractors" as opposed to "employees" (which Uber and other rideshare brands heavily finananced), the corporations can actually mindfuck their employees into thinking it is a more beneficial situation to be an "independent contractor" (the main argument I head was "flexibility"), against their better judgment.
Actually, after that law passed, I heard a report about Albertson's and some other grocers (Vons maybe) firing their whole delivery driver staff and just hiring independent contractors.
It's all fucked and it's just done to protect the corporation's bottom line.
What's weird is that, out of all the "sports", skateboarding should be one of the most Covid-resistant, or, in other words, one of the easiest sports to refrain from Covid spreading situations.
It can really just be two people spending their day together at different spots: a skater and a filmer (maybe even add a photographer if you want).
And, even though spots have become less busy with stay at home orders and shutdowns, IF a spot IS heavily trafficked with civilians, it could have been an opportunity for that skater/filmer/photographer to go find new spots. Get creative.
You want to go on a trip? Okay. Skater, Filmer and Photographer get covid-tested jump in a car and tour nearby cities/states then. Go find some shit.
All this other shit (international trips on airplanes, going maskless at crowded skateparks, etc.) during these times is just super extra.