Instacart workers are going on strike indefinitely later this month

Less than 10 days after initiating a #DeleteInstacart campaign to encourage Instacart customers to put pressure on the company’s execs, a group of Instacart workers has announced an indefinite work stoppage set to begin later this month. Starting October 16, many of Instacarts shoppers and deliverers will go on strike until certain compensation and safety reforms are implemented.

“We know that in order for us to see change, we need to hit Instacart where it hurts," Willy Solis, member of the strike-organizing group known as the Gig Workers Collective, told Vice. "We're organizing the walk-off because the company continues to ignore us. Our goal is to get Instacart to engage with us."

Five key reforms — Gig workers and their supporters hope Instacart’s new CEO, Fidji Simo, will agree to new standardized terms including base pay instead of batch order pay (which can be as low as $7 per three stops), a commission-based pay model, reinstating the app’s 10 percent default tip, occupational death benefits, and a reformed rating system that prevents customers from docking them for issues beyond their control such as inventory problems.

Although an Instacart spokesperson stated to Vice that the company already offers shopper injury protection that includes accidental death coverage, it falls far short in the other areas highlighted by the Gig Workers Collective.

An uphill battle from management — Instacart is already well-known for its hostility towards any kind of pro-shopper alterations in company policy. Back in January, the company controversially laid off thousands of workers, including everyone who had previously voted to unionize. Previously, many workers walked off the job shortly after COVID-19’s stateside onset in protest of Instacart’s lack of safety and health protections during the pandemic.

Instacart’s spokesperson was also keen to note to Vice and elsewhere that these protests “have not resulted in any disruption or impact to our service,” presumably in a pretty blatant attempt to discourage on-the-fence shoppers and drivers. Which is always a good look for a corporation.