Fair Wages For All in the Gig Economy

We work long hours. We power the economy. We keep this country running. Yet millions of us can’t afford rent, healthcare, or a single emergency. We are essential—but treated as expendable. This isn’t just unfair. It’s broken.

At Pay Us Right, a core project of Buildup Cooperative, we’re demanding change. We’re not asking for charity. We’re demanding enough to make ends meet.

The Problem: U.S. Labor Law is 90 Years Old

America’s labor laws have not kept pace with the modern workforce. The rise of the gig economy has brought flexibility, but too often at the cost of security. Millions of workers—rideshare drivers, delivery couriers, freelancers, and remote contractors—are classified as independent contractors, stripped of basic protections, including minimum wage guarantees, overtime pay, health benefits, unemployment insurance, and collective bargaining rights.

The Gig economy thrives because our labor laws have failed, and the inadequacies of the existing laws fail to protect workers forced to gig.

The result? Workers are left vulnerable, overworked, and underpaid—while corporations profit from a labor force without other options. This systemic imbalance is rooted in outdated legal frameworks that fail to recognize the realities of today’s work, where long-term dedication can vanish overnight, as seen in the founder’s unexpected layoff after a 33-year tech career—a Veteran whose job was outsourced to India.

Our Mission: Dignity, Data, and Collective Power

Pay Us Right is fighting back. As a national advocacy initiative rooted in the values of Buildup Cooperative, our mission is clear: to ensure that all workers, regardless of employment classification, are paid fairly and treated with dignity.

We believe that:

  • Work has value—and that value must be reflected in compensation.
  • Data empowers—by collecting and analyzing real worker experiences, we expose systemic inequities and fuel evidence-based reform.
  • Workers united are unstoppable—a collective voice can challenge outdated laws and corporate exploitation.

Through research, education, and grassroots organizing, Pay Us Right amplifies the voices of entry-level, gig, and contract workers nationwide. We provide tools to track earnings, share stories, and connect with allies in the fight for fair pay. This mission aligns with Buildup Cooperative’s broader goals of modernizing labor protections, fostering worker unity, and driving systemic reform.

Join Us: A Call for Nationwide Collaboration

This is not a fight we can win alone. We are issuing an open invitation to all stakeholders who believe in a just future for work:

  • Gig and freelance workers: Share your stories. Track your pay. Join the movement.
  • Labor advocates and unions: Partner with us to expand protections to all workers.
  • Researchers and academics: Help us analyze trends, document wage theft, and shape policy.
  • Policymakers and elected officials: Let’s co-create laws that reflect today’s economy, not the past.
  • Legal experts and civil rights organizations: Support our efforts to challenge misclassification and corporate abuse.
  • Community organizations and allies: Help us build power at the local level.

Together, we can:

  • Launch data-driven campaigns to expose unfair pay practices.
  • Advocate for federal and state policy reforms that guarantee minimum earnings, benefits, and collective rights for gig workers.
  • Build a national network of worker-led committees.
  • Hold corporations accountable for exploiting the gig model.

These collaborative goals reflect Buildup Cooperative’s multi-faceted approach, which includes research, community building, legal action, and policy development.

The Time Is Now

Founded by Buildup Cooperative—a Nevada-based nonprofit cooperative corporation dedicated to empowering workers and reforming outdated labor laws—Pay Us Right is more than a campaign. It’s a populist movement.

We’ve seen how quickly jobs can vanish, benefits disappear, and lives unravel—even after 11 years of dedicated service. That’s why we’re building a war chest of solidarity, fueled by small contributions from thousands, to fund legal action, civic education, and worker organizing.

Join us. Visit Pay Us Right [Pay Us Right –] to learn more, share your story, and get involved.

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Together, we rise.
Pay Us Right. All Workers United.