The flip side of the gig economy

Before I even start, the tipped gig economy is a horrid thing for the people stuck working it. No security, barebones 'base pay', stuck dependent on tips. The only people making money are the dispatch companies, the people who send those workers out, to deliver food or groceries, clean your house, walk your dog.

But from the point of view of the consumer it's a shitty deal too.

I'm tired of getting crappy and expensive service and not wanting to complain because of the potential consequences to the worker.

We get once-a-month house cleaning. It's expensive (because once a month). I never see the same people, so no potential relationship where they learn how to clean my place. The past two have done a miserable job, and I don't feel like I can call the agency and complain. Plus would it really matter, it's not like it's going to be the same people anyhow.

Last time, the gal didn't mop the floors. This irked me to no end because my instructions have been pretty clear: my priorities are the bathroom and mopping. I'd rather they left the stove for me to do and mop, if it's a time crunch. Since none of these women speak much English, it's really hard to communicate with them.

When asked, I gave her 5 * anyhow. And tipped. The zeitgeist of 'anything but 5 * is a FAIL' means, well, that there is no nuance. If I felt able to be honest, I could have said she did a great job on the stove top and bathroom, left my gigantic countertop a streaky mess, and didn't mop. 3 stars this time (I'd still have tipped the same amount).

Anyhow. Maybe others are braver than me.

The end result, however is that I'm ditching this agency. They said 'same people each time' but that hasn't been the case for me over the past 6 months. I'll probably go back to the agency I used before, that I stopped using when the woman I dealt with there retired and the woman who'd been cleaning for me for 5 years left to finish her LPN (yay her! I wrote her a big check, and she's texted me a few times over the years, she's moved to California and is doing great last I heard). I didn't like the replacement agency owner and never found a fit with the women she sent. I didn't have anyone for a few years, but have been trying again, really, because ugh on mopping.

I know I should use independent cleaners. HowEVER, I don't want to deal with if they are licensed and bonded, plus there is the whole personal relationship thing... but I think I'll make an effort next time.

Anyhow, this rambled a lot but at its core: the gig economy sucks. It's terrible for workers and often it doesn't even serve the people who should benefit from it.

Ugh, really?

And since 'cleaners' seems to be the theme of the day, ARGH!

The arrival window I have is 9am til 1pm. That's a pretty broad/pain in the ass windows, because... it's pretty long.

Anyhow, house was ready to be cleaned by 9am this morning. We didn't go on our walk, so dh could start work early and then skip out as needed later.

And we waited.

And waited.

Finally at 2pm, I called the service asking WTF?

Oh, well, your window is 1:45pm-3:45pm.

Oh to the hell it is NOT says I, checking the schedule we've had since the first cleaning with this service.

Huh, they say. We don't know. Yes, it's supposed to be 9am-1pm, don't know why/when it was changed, there is no note in the file.

Well, that change was not communicated to me. I spent the morning waiting, when I could have done my walk and my shopping etc this morning, not in the afternoon with everyone else, and with a tight deadline because dh has to be back for a meeting. (We have to return the rental car, so both have to go.)

They tried to get a hold of the 'team' to give me an ETA. Half hour later, they weren't able to.

I'm done with this shit. I told him to try to reschedule for next week, but if not, cancel, but I am so pissed.

Even more pissed because we could have left 10 minutes ago but dh decided he had to have Ramen for lunch, and it takes forever to prepare and to eat, argh.

At least the house is picked up?