Legal Frameworks for Protecting Platform Labor

HAIDAR JULIETA

Seminario; Platform Workers Forum: Global Perspectives on Organizing and Policy; 2020

ILR Worker Institute (University of Cornell), Fairwork

The rise of the platform economy over recent years has been facilitated by the spread of the internet around the globe, new digital technologies and increased availability of venture capital (Srnicek, 2017). The growth of the platform economy in all its forms, including online crowdwork and off-line on-demand work, has raised a series of questions concerning its effects on the quality of work and labour relations. These questions include firstly, if the platform economy provides workers with the possibility of earning a good living and the freedom to decide when to work and not to work, or if it is rather the fastest road to (re-) commodification of labour and precariousness (e.g. Graham et al., 2017; Huws et al., 2017). Secondly, it raises doubts about the status of platform workers, i.e. whether they are employees, self-employed or otherwise, and what (labour) regulations (should) apply to the relationships between platforms and platform workers (Todolí-Signes, 2017). Thirdly, issues arise concerning the control of workers through algorithms, rating systems, one-sided price management and digital surveillance and performance appraisals. There are indications that these may not only minimize autonomy and increase stress, but that they may also lead to discrimination, physical and psychosocial violence and harassment, especially among women and young people (Moore, 2018). Fourthly, questions arise concerning the extent to which there is a place for collective labour relations in the platform economy, and if organizing the often extremely atomized platform workers is indeed possible (Drahokoupil and Jepsen, 2017; Woodcock, 2018; Vandaele, 2018).