Wildfire Smoke Puts Food Delivery Workers at Risk on East Coast

Gustavo Ajche, a food delivery driver and activist in New York City, has been delivering food through the hazardous air quality caused by the wildfire smoke. He is fighting for better pay and working conditions for delivery drivers through his labor group Los Deliveristas Unidos and the Workers Justice Project. Despite being relied upon to keep the city running, gig economy workers like Ajche still struggle to secure basic rights like earning the minimum wage. As more climate emergencies are expected in the future, people will continue to rely on delivery drivers to brave the elements instead of heading out themselves.