The global ‘hot shop’: COVID-19 as a union organising catalyst

Abstract

There is an emerging narrative that the global COVID-19 pandemic has led to a resurgence of labour activism. Despite this popular narrative, scholars lack empirical data on the relationship between workers' exposure to the pandemic and their interest in collective representation. Using original survey data from 240 ride-hail drivers, I find that greater exposure to the COVID-19 virus is associated with greater interest in joining a labour union. This article provides the first empirical evidence linking the COVID-19 pandemic to the recent wave of labour activism, giving rise to what I refer to as a ‘global hot shop’ phenomenon.