“I see delivery workers as part of a helping profession” 

Adrienne Papermaster is a customer on Instacart, DoorDash, and Uber Eats, and a member of the Transit Riders Union, a community organization based in Seattle. Here’s why she supports the #PayUp policy:

“I’ve been a customer on basically every gig app you can imagine—including  Instacart, DoorDash, Uber Eats, —for quite some time, even before the pandemic, because I can't drive.

I'm a survivor of acute leukemia. The treatment that saved my life left me with lots of chronic pain and fatigue, which still hasn’t gone away even eight years out. Ongoing medication makes me vulnerable to infections and I also have  neuropathy from chemotherapy, which has led to falls resulting in a bunch of broken bones and concussions. So I don't drive, because it's not safe for me or anybody else. I also don't have a lot of energy to cook my own food. And it leads me to use a lot of delivery apps. For me, gig delivery is an essential way for me to get food and stay safe. I see delivery workers as part of a helping profession—they’re helping me every day. 

Even though I rely on delivery, I sometimes feel guilty as a customer using these apps. I pay attention to the information that comes out about how companies treat delivery workers. I know how pay has been going down and stress has gone up for workers. Years ago, it was kind of a viable way to make some money—but now, it seems like people are actually losing money doing this work. I always tip really well, but I worry that not a lot of that money is going to people. I’ve read the stories about how companies have cut workers’ pay and stolen tips. It infuriates me. 

I support the PayUp policy because I believe delivery workers deserve to get paid a living wage for their work and to be treated like valuable partners. Nobody should be exploited for their work. Seattle should take the lead on improving the situation and ensuring people can afford to live. 

I've heard some gig company lobbyists argue at City Council that we should be careful about raising pay for workers, because it could end up raising prices for people like me, people who rely on home delivery. I’m frankly angry that they’re trying to use me and other disabled people to make an argument for their own financial benefit. It’s so blatantly ridiculous. They’re trying to say they’re protecting me—but these apps are always happy to raise prices, and their CEOs make plenty of money.”