"It will also be interesting if there is a legal claim for the gig workers at these companies to make that their labor helped “create the value” at the companies that replace them."
Well, I would certainly hope any employee help create value for the companies they work for... even if they get laid off eventually.
The key word here is "legal". Without having a contract to that effect, no employee or contractor can just appropriate equity, regardless of how much sweat they put into building the company. I'm not sure why OP thinks there might be a legal claim.
Well, I would certainly hope any employee help create value for the companies they work for... even if they get laid off eventually.