8 SECONDS REST

8 Seconds Rest is filmed in Solidarity Hall in collaboration with on-demand workers — ‘independent contractors’ for platform capitalist companies such as Uber, Deliveroo and Easi.

Solidarity Hall was built to honour the 8-hour-day labour campaign of the 1850s. Fast-forward to 2020, and on-demand workers are working longer hours and paid per ‘gig’ or task. Unpaid waiting between jobs is a big part of these workers’ days, who on average, make less than the minimum hourly wage. Covid-19 has shone a light on the risky and insecure work that has enabled much of society to ‘stay at home’.

For 52 Actions, APHIDS is paying these workers to undertake their liminal labour inside of this historic ‘People’s Palace’. Flanked by the history, banners and political declarations of the trade union movement, our collaborators are working a paid ‘shift’ for our project.

8 Seconds Rest is part of a larger APHIDS project EASY RIDERS, a collaborative performance made with workers of the on-demand economy. 

CREDITS

Artists — Eugenia Lim, Lara Thoms and Mish Grigor
On-Demand workers — Cher Tan and Abdul Wasay
Photographer and filming — Aaron Claringbold