Gig-Work Apps Push for Deregulation in Healthcare, Raising Concerns Over Worker Protections
A report by the AI Now Institute highlights the aggressive lobbying efforts by billion-dollar tech platforms to deregulate the 'Uber for nursing' industry. These platforms are using artificial intelligence to manage staffing in healthcare facilities, which has raised concerns about the erosion of workers' rights, protections, and pay. The report notes that these gig-work models allow nurses to bid on shifts, with the lowest bid securing the job, a practice that has been lucrative for the platforms but detrimental to workers. The report also points out that since 2022, legislation has been introduced in at least 17 states to exempt these platforms from regulations that apply to traditional healthcare staffing agencies. This push for deregulation is likened to the efforts of ride-share companies to avoid being classified as transportation services. 
