French Word of the Day: Ubérisation
Why do I need to know
ubérisation?
Because
you might see this used to describe changing industries in France.
What does it mean?
Ubérisation
- roughly pronounced oo-berr-ee-za-see-ohn - would best translate as 'uberisation', though this is not very commonly used in English and might have a different connotation.
As you might have guessed, this is an anglicism using the root word 'Uber', in reference to the ride-hail company.
Technically,
ubérisation
refers to the rethinking of a traditional economic structure by connecting customers and service providers directly through an app or digital platform. While this allows for more flexibility, critics also see the 'gig economy' as a source of economic insecurity for workers.
As such, you might hear about an industry undergoing
ubérisation
in France, and usually this is not a compliment.
Advertisement
Oftentimes, it is used synonymously with
dégradation
of a workforce, or
précarisation
(creation of insecurity, usually financial).
Many people in France see the gig economy model as directly opposed to French employment standards, particularly when it comes to workers' rights.
Although Uber is far from the only 'gig economy' company operating in France, it was the first ride-share business to enter the market, and was the subject of fierce protests by French taxi drivers. It has therefore come to symbolise this type of business, becoming a French verb in the process.
Like most 'borrow' words,
ubériser
has become a standard 'er' verb in French, conjugated in the normal way, although the noun
ubérisation
is more commonly used in everyday French.
Use it like this
Les enseignants se plaignent de l'ubérisation de la profession avec de plus en plus d'enseignants contractuels. -
Teachers are complaining about an uberization of the sector with more and more teachers on temporary contracts.
Nous assistons à une ubérisation du secteur, ce qui a pour conséquence que moins de personnes ont un CDI et moins de personnes bénéficient d'une protection totale de l'emploi.
- We are witnessing an uberization of the sector, and as a result, fewer people have permanent contracts and fewer people have full employment protections.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
LeMonde
29 minutes ago
- LeMonde
Gaza aid boat: NGO says Israel is deporting six activists
An Israeli NGO representing activists detained aboard a boat attempting to breach Israel's blockade of Gaza said, on Thursday, June 12, that six were being deported, including two who were already on planes. "After more than 72 hours in Israeli custody following the unlawful interception of the Madleen Freedom Flotilla in international waters (...) six volunteers are now being transferred to Ben Gurion Airport for deportation," the Adalah rights group said in a statement. It added that the six activists – two French citizens and nationals of Brazil, Germany, the Netherlands and Turkey – were expected to be deported on Thursday or early Friday. Rima Hassan, a French MEP for the La France Insoumise (LFI, radical left) party, who is also of Palestinian descent, is among the six activists due to be expelled imminently. Adalah later told Agence-France Presse (AFP) that two activists, one from Turkey and one from Germany, had already "both been deported and [are] on planes." Greta Thunberg among the first deported activists In total, 12 people were on board the Madleen sailing boat when it was intercepted by Israeli forces in the eastern Mediterranean, about 185 kilometers west of Gaza on Monday. Four of them, including two French citizens and Swedish campaigner Greta Thunberg, agreed to be deported immediately. Another two French nationals remain in Israeli custody, awaiting their deportation on Friday, Adalah said. "While in custody, volunteers were subjected to mistreatment, punitive measures and aggressive treatment, and two volunteers were held for some period of time in solitary confinement," it added. All 12 people on board the Madleen have been banned from Israel for 100 years.
Fashion Network
an hour ago
- Fashion Network
H&M targets premium market with 'Adorables' children's line at Galeries Lafayette
H&M is expanding its presence in Parisian department stores with 'Adorables,' its premium line for babies and children launched in 2024. After testing this high-end distribution channel in London with a pop-up at Selfridges last fall, the Swedish brand has opened a permanent corner at the Galeries Lafayette Haussmann flagship. The 63-square-meter space, inaugurated on May 12 in the presence of the brand's teams, underscores its commitment to premiumization. "Opening this shop-in-shop in the fashion capital and in this iconic retail location is a very special moment. It will enable us to meet new customers. It may be the first time people buy an H&M product," said Sofia Löfstedt, design director of H&M Kids. At Galeries Lafayette, the Swedish group— which has hosted pop-up stores there for its Cos and & Other Stories brands— aims to attract a more upscale local and international clientele, with a strong focus on fashion and product quality, said Manuel Da Cruz, H&M's area director for Ile-de-France. Light wood furnishings, rounded tubular racks, rugs on the floor and country flowers create a soft, contemporary atmosphere. The brand welcomes new customers on the floor dedicated to children. Designed for ages 0 to 10, the collection is displayed in a mixed layout and divided into three sections: newborns, babies and children. It offers timeless pieces in subtle, powdery shades alongside a seasonal, fashion-forward selection for summer featuring sponge dresses, playful patterns and swimwear. The line prioritizes natural, high-quality materials such as organic cotton, silk and merino wool. H&M operates the pop-up at Galeries Lafayette as a concession with four sales staff. The brand does not plan to open additional 'Adorables' pop-ups in department stores, though a selection of the collection is available at its flagship on rue La Fayette and at Forum des Halles in Paris, its most lucrative store worldwide, which is undergoing major renovations. H&M is also renovating its stores in the Ile-de-France region, where it operates about 30 locations within its 168-store French network. "We expect to complete the renovation program, which is based on a new concept, by the end of 2025. For example, we are currently converting the Les Halles and Beaugrenelle stores in Paris as well as the one in Levallois," said Manuel Da Cruz. Over the past decade in Paris, H&M has refocused its portfolio on key locations and closed several stores, including those on rue de Rennes and the Champs-Élysées. This fall, H&M will open a permanent store in the Marais district, although the address has not yet been disclosed. The move will strengthen its fashion positioning. Last year, the brand tested this trendy, premium district with a temporary arty pop-up on rue de Turenne. In September, H&M will continue to remodel its presence and image in the French capital.
Euronews
an hour ago
- Euronews
How can the EU respond to companies moving their production elsewhere?
German BSH Domestic Appliances group, which owns the Siemens and Bosch brands, has announced the forthcoming closure of a factory in Esquíroz in the north of Spain. More than 650 local jobs are likely to be lost, and production could be relocated to Poland or Turkey. "The situation is really very worrying. This was a company that had proved to be sustainable, a company that had a product that provided services to the rest of Europe and also to Spain, because 80% of the products that came out of this company were then marketed in Spain," Spanish MEP Estrella Galán said. "And now the company has decided to close because of relocation," she added. This is not an isolated case. Relocations are also under way at Audi, Volkswagen and ArcelorMittal. Some MEPs would like the European Parliament to take action to combat deindustrialisation and support the re-industrialisation of Europe, at a time when geopolitical uncertainties are undermining businesses. "We have political instability, we have high energy prices, we have economic uncertainty, we have Donald Trump's tariff war," Oihane Agirregoitia Martínez, another Spanish MEP for Renew Europe, told Euronews. "In this case, we have a lack of strategic autonomy. These companies are looking for lower labour costs, they are looking for access to raw materials", Agirregoitia Martínez explained. She recommends simplifying the regulatory and tax framework to support production, innovation and competitiveness in Europe. For her part, Galán is calling for the 25-year-old European directive on collective redundancies to be updated to bring it into line with the "new realities of the labour market". "Within the European Union, we cannot compete between states on the basis of the wage levels that exist in one member state or another," she told Euronews. "It is therefore necessary to reform this directive on collective redundancies and prevent social dumping from being a threat to all workers in the European Union", she adds. Between 2018 and 2020, 72% of French companies that relocated did so in Europe, according to the French national statistics institute (INSEE). The 21-year-old gunman who went to his former school in Graz on Tuesday and shot 10 people dead and injured a further 11 had carefully planned his rampage in advance. That's according to a statement by the public prosecutor's office and the police at a press conference on Thursday. During a search of his house, investigators found a non-functional pipe bomb, notes and plans. According to police, the pipe bomb contained all the components. His notes express regret that he did not have time to properly finalise his plans. A farewell letter was also among the items found, but according to investigators, it does not provide any further information about the perpetrator's motive and reads more like an apology to his family. Investigators also revealed that the young man, who lived with his mother, had lived a secluded life. He was reportedly introverted, withdrew mainly into the virtual world where his main social contact came from and played first-person shooter games. Three years ago, he dropped out of school without graduating. The 21-year-old had no criminal record. Michael Lohnegger, the head of the Styrian state police, explained that the perpetrator entered the school on Tuesday at 9:43 am. He was carrying a rucksack containing a Glock 19 pistol, a sawn-off double-barrelled shotgun and ammunition. He went to the school toilet on the third floor, put on a gun belt, shooting glasses and a headset. There were 400 pupils in the school at the time. The gunman, then heavily armed, went to the second floor and shot indiscriminately at people there and at 10:07 am went back to the third floor toilet where he shot himself. The first police patrol arrived at the school at 10:06 am, by which time the rampage was over and the gunman already dead. Investigators assume that the 21-year-old did not know the young people he shot, although the teacher who was killed had taught at the school at the time the gunman was a pupil there. The police investigation is still ongoing, with a laptop and a USB stick still to be analysed. So far, there are no concrete clues as to the motive for the shooting.
