China's Blistering Heat Leaves Workers Exposed as Gig Economy Booms
As the nation swelters, millions of delivery couriers brave deadly temperatures without legal protections or heat pay. Government employees, meanwhile, stay cool with bonuses and seaside perks.
Delivery workers in Beijing in July.
Photographer: Andrea Verdelli/BloombergOn a scorching morning in Beijing, Hao and a dozen other food delivery drivers sweltered outside a hot-pot restaurant. They smoked. They swiped through videos. They waited for the next round of lunch orders from people wise enough to stay indoors.
Hao, like most of China’s 200 million gig workers, is eligible by law to receive a “heat wave allowance,” or danger money for those required to work for hours in extreme heat conditions. He should be paid at least 180 yuan ($25) per month when the heat crosses 35C (95F). The city had already breached that, with the mercury heading fast toward 40C that week. But he hasn’t seen a penny.