Labor is an individual characteristic which happens to increase in skill. A person good at building cabins can have a nice cabin.

The gig economy is a set of relationships between the state of problems and pay. It pressures workers with the fewest skills to successively solve the same problem.

That's a good distinction, thanks.

By ad hoc I mean transients, hobos , hippies— people “off grid”— who want to pick up a cash job for a few weeks or a couple months e.g farm work, dishwashing, construction site, nursing, hospitality etc.

You show up to the owner, negotiate on the spot and start working.

the gig economy requires a credit card, bank account, background check , smartphone, app install etc – and all the tracking and hassle that goes with it.

Thanks for the clarification.