Bio
Archibald Mekeshi is a co-op catalyst, activist, and artistic director based in Tbilisi, Georgia. He holds the position of Artistic Director at Georgia’s SOU Festival of Contemporary Culture. Alongside his artistic endeavors, Mekeshi also works as a Soldado at the Emergency Management Service of Georgia. He pursued his studies at Caucasus International University. Mekeshi has emerged as a prominent figure in organizing strikes among riders in Tbilisi. He spearheaded a strike in response to a new payment system introduced in February 2023, which removed bonuses tied to the number of deliveries. Consequently, riders experienced a significant pay cut of over 20%, disregarding inflation. Mekeshi and fellow organizers orchestrated the strike independently, without formal union support. The ongoing strike seeks to secure higher pay rates for riders, aiming to restore their previous earnings. Mekeshi envisions that a network of platform cooperatives will bring about transformative changes in Georgia.