High Street Retailers and Coffee Shops Under Fire Over Gig Economy App Temper
Urban Outfitters, Dreams, and several Royal Parks cafes have faced criticism over their use of the gig economy app Temper to recruit staff. The fashion retailer Urban Outfitters has advertised temporary roles paying up to £12.71 an hour, while Colicci Cafe, a family-owned business in London's Royal Parks, offered barista shifts as low as £12.50 an hour.
The controversy centres on charges imposed by Temper, which guarantee swift payment but can reduce hourly rates below the legal minimum wage for those aged 21 and over. Workers who take up roles advertised on Temper must pay a 2.9% fee to avoid waiting up to 30 days for payment, effectively reducing their earnings by £7 per hour.
Critics argue that such apps are perpetuating "bogus self-employment", with some workers missing out on essential employment rights including sick pay, rest breaks, and holiday pay. The TUC is urging the government to bring forward promised reforms to protect gig economy workers amid concerns over their treatment.
In contrast, Temper claims its platform offers better protections than zero-hours contracts, including compensation for cancelled shifts with less than 48 hours' notice. However, critics argue that the company's definition of self-employment does not accurately reflect the reality of its operating model.
As more retailers and coffee shops turn to gig economy apps like Temper, concerns over worker exploitation are growing. The TUC is calling on policymakers to strike a balance between flexibility and fairness for freelance workers.
Urban Outfitters, Dreams, and several Royal Parks cafes have faced criticism over their use of the gig economy app Temper to recruit staff. The fashion retailer Urban Outfitters has advertised temporary roles paying up to £12.71 an hour, while Colicci Cafe, a family-owned business in London's Royal Parks, offered barista shifts as low as £12.50 an hour.
The controversy centres on charges imposed by Temper, which guarantee swift payment but can reduce hourly rates below the legal minimum wage for those aged 21 and over. Workers who take up roles advertised on Temper must pay a 2.9% fee to avoid waiting up to 30 days for payment, effectively reducing their earnings by £7 per hour.
Critics argue that such apps are perpetuating "bogus self-employment", with some workers missing out on essential employment rights including sick pay, rest breaks, and holiday pay. The TUC is urging the government to bring forward promised reforms to protect gig economy workers amid concerns over their treatment.
In contrast, Temper claims its platform offers better protections than zero-hours contracts, including compensation for cancelled shifts with less than 48 hours' notice. However, critics argue that the company's definition of self-employment does not accurately reflect the reality of its operating model.
As more retailers and coffee shops turn to gig economy apps like Temper, concerns over worker exploitation are growing. The TUC is calling on policymakers to strike a balance between flexibility and fairness for freelance workers.
. And the fee they charge Temper is just ridiculous - it's like, can't they just give the workers a decent living wage instead of trying to screw them out of a few quid per hour? 
I've got a friend who works on one of these apps and she's constantly stressed about getting paid on time. It's not fair, especially when you consider all the other rights they're missing out on like sick pay and holidays. The TUC is spot on in saying we need some serious reforms here 
. But at the same time, gig economy apps like Temper do need to take more responsibility for ensuring workers aren't being taken advantage of 
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. We need to make sure that gig economy workers have access to things like sick pay, rest breaks, and holiday pay, regardless of how they're classified as "self-employed" 
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It's so unfair that these companies are just taking advantage of workers without providing proper pay and benefits. I mean, who wants to work for £12.50 an hour when you could be making a decent wage elsewhere? And the fact that they're reducing hourly rates below the legal minimum wage is just ridiculous. It's like they're trying to exploit people who are already struggling. I feel so bad for those workers who are missing out on essential rights like sick pay and holiday pay. 
The TUC is right, policymakers need to step in and create some real reforms to protect these workers. We need more transparency and fairness in the gig economy! 
. I mean, who doesn't want to earn a fair wage and have some basic rights like sick pay and holiday time? 
It's like they're exploiting people for the sake of profit 
I think we need to stand up for our gig economy workers and push for some real change 
. The TUC is right on it, advocating for reforms that'll protect these workers' rights. Let's hope the government listens 
.
And don't even get me started on the fee they charge workers - 2.9%?! That's just unfair 
. I feel for all these poor baristas and shop assistants who are stuck in this gig economy nightmare. Can't we just have a decent living wage and some basic rights for once? 
It's not too much to ask, is it? 
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, doesn't it? I mean, who wouldn't want to pay 2.9% of their hourly wage just to get paid on time? It's not like they're forcing anyone to work on the app or anything... 