During the webinar ‘A Level Playing Field for Gig Workers’ on October 27, 2023, we want to explore how a power balance can be created in the platform economy between the companies and the workers, through collective bargaining, representation, and bottom-up ownership and governance.
Some speakers have already confirmed their presence:
More speakers will be announced soon.
You can already secure your spot by visiting the event’s webpage.
Last Friday, we said goodbye to the Ahmedabad University students who joined our team for their two-month internship. During this period, they contributed to the news collection and created visuals on different platform economy topics.
To deepen the reporting, they prepared some stories that we will publish in the Blog section of Gigpedia in the next few weeks.
Let’s start with a blog concerning the unionization in the Mexican gig economy: why are Mexican gig workers not keen on unionizing, and what can be done to bring them together?
Do you want to know where, when, and how platform workers protest? The Leeds Index of Platform Labour Protest provides answers. In the new episode of The Gig Work Podcast, Martijn Arets asks the initiators of this project for their key insights for science and practice.
Did you miss the other episodes? You can find them in the Podcast section on Gigpedia.
Dear reader,
While surfing the web, we came across a case study that passed unnoticed, although it is interesting. We are referring to the Manifesto Polish riders presented to the government demanding specific changes and analyzing the couriers’ working conditions in the country.
Eastern Europe is a thriving market when considering the growth of the food delivery business: work through apps emerged in the 2010s, driven by the entry into the local markets of international companies. Uber for transportation and Glovo and Wolt for delivery meet the need for flexibility and self-reliance, alleviating some unemployment pressures on the national labor markets.
Don’t forget several Eastern Europe countries are now part of the European Union, and Poland has been one of them since 2004. Many labor laws and enforcement practices had to be reformed to meet the EU legal requirements, and the same was for the social security systems. Thanks to these reforms, Eastern European EU member states enjoy relatively higher economic and political stability than their non-EU neighbors.
However, as the ILO underlines, “Work through mobile apps can be seen as a continuation of the precariousness and informality” that already characterized these sectors before platforms landed in these countries. The platform owners are foreign and often escape compliance with local regulations. “Workers usually take up jobs through mobile apps and platforms because they are constrained. Hence, they often find themselves in disguised (bogus) self-employment, with poorer working conditions and lower satisfaction with this work.”
If we consider this context, understanding why Uber, Glovo, and Wolt couriers wrote the Manifesto is quite simple: “We can see that workers of platform companies are deprived of most rights they should be entitled to according to the Polish Labor Code” they say. “We want to stop the practice of fictitious employment and the use of loopholes in the law to circumvent the fundamental rights of workers.”
In Poland, platform workers have the "status of independent contractors" hired directly or indirectly by the platform. The Polish parliament is taking no direct action in this matter. Moreover, there is no Polish case law on the topic. “Poland will likely follow any future regulations on platform workers created by the EU instead of taking the initiative on its own," says Ewa Roguszczak, an employment expert with CMS Poland.
Because it will take time for the European Platform Directive Work to enter into force, Polish couriers have decided to do it themselves. This Manifesto is one of a kind for being a bottom-up initiative: it is the only one in the region, and it’s the outcome of the cooperation with academics and unions: couriers teamed up with the University of Warsaw, the Warsaw School of Economics, and the University of Wrocław. They are also associated with the Konfederacja Pracy, związek zawodowy (OPZZ), the union confederation which supported the Pyszne.pl riders’ protests from December onwards and monitored the implementation of "The Couriers Pledge" activities by Glovo.
Since things didn’t improve, riders are now at the forefront of presenting the negative sides of the Polish platform model and demanding specific regulations. In particular, the Manifesto disputes the lack of rights (holiday pay, hourly wage, fixed working hours, maternity, and sick leave) and calls for recognizing the riders’ right to unionize.
It also gained the support of the Institute of Public Affairs (Instytut Spraw Publicznych) and the Presidium of the National Alliance of Trade Unions (Prezydium Krajowego Porozumienia Związków Zawodowych)
What’s on the horizon for Polish couriers? We can’t know it; however, the sense of initiative is commendable. We see most riders and gig workers not being part of any union nor making a group to achieve results together. Proposals like the Polish Manifesto can be a starting point for creating a collective voice and a level playing field for workers. (By the way, did you know our next webinar’s focus is on this topic?)
We’d like to give notice of such projects more frequently because it means gig workers trust the collective action as an instrument to gain better rights and fight the feeling of being lonely and powerless.
What do you think? Are these effective efforts, or is there a risk they remain on paper? Let us know your point of view by replying to this email or leaving a comment on our social accounts: Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, or Instagram.
And have a nice day!
The WageIndicator Gig Team
Denmark - According to the insurance company Arbejdsmarkedets Erhvervssikring, Wolt couriers injured in recent years are entitled to compensation. In the future, Wolt must take out statutory workers' insurance for all its riders. Wolt appealed against the decision.
India - By launching the Rajasthan Platform-based Gig Workers (Registration and Welfare) Bill, 2023, Rajasthan has become the first state to propose a law to protect gig workers' rights.
Italy - Unions signed an agreement with Just Eat, adding it to the National Transport and Logistics Contract. The deal concerns improvements to the health and safety of Turin workers.
Portugal - Half of the workers covered in the first supervisory action by the Authority for Working Conditions of couriers on digital platforms were irregular. The inspection was carried out in Lisbon and Porto, specifically with couriers from the Bolt, Glovo, and Uber Eats platforms.
Spain - Getir will cease its business in Spain and lay off its entire workforce there of 1,560 after failing to raise enough capital in a recent funding round.
United Kingdom - Couriers called on Just Eat to prevent job losses: the company informed them from July 19, Just Eat deliveries would no longer be available on the Stuart platform. This way, they’ll lose the vast majority of their work.
United States - App-based food delivery companies filed lawsuits seeking to strike down New York City's novel law setting a minimum wage for delivery workers. A judge has blocked the law from going into effect on July 12 until a hearing for the lawsuit.
Did you know? From Argentina to the United Kingdom, violence against delivery workers continues daily.
Argentina
- A man was arrested in Córdoba accused of being the leader of a gang that had mistreated Uber and Cabify drivers.
- Mendoza delivery workers demanded greater safety (but refused to join a union).
- Taxi drivers in Viedma protested against Uber's ‘illegal’ activity: the platform works with unidentified vehicles, and no municipality authorizes the application.
Germany - Wolt migrant workers will strike on July 27 in Berlin after not being paid since last December.
Analysis - Platform drivers in Vietnam, Bangladesh, and Pakistan struggle with payment delays on digital platforms like Careem and Be.
India
- The All India Gig Workers' Union (AIGWU) called a national protest week from 3-11 July called 'All India UC Partners' Fight Back' against unfair and inhuman policies of Urban Companies.
- Telangana Gig and Platform Workers Union (TGPWU) brought to the attention cab drivers’ need for parking stands where to wait for other orders or rest.
Israel - Riders slowed the traffic in Tel Aviv to protest against Wolt.
Nigeria
- Bolt is introducing a new safety feature to its in-app safety toolkit to empower drivers and riders to initiate an audio recording of their trip within the Bolt app.
- A Bolt driver and a passenger got into a physical altercation over the final cost of the ride after disagreeing on the fare.
Portugal - The Authority for Working Conditions began an inspection of couriers on digital platforms such as Glovo and Uber Eats. If they find cases of irregularity, they will notify the company.
Did you know? Female ride-hailing drivers in Johannesburg describe their daily work as risky and dangerous.
Spain - Glovo riders called a new strike in Barcelona after the platform dismissed their request for a salary increase.
The Netherlands - Storm Poly forced many delivery workers to stay home in North Holland, Flevoland, and Friesland.
Did you know? In the United Kingdom, the number of workers interested in freelancing has tripled in just one year as the rising cost of living reduces employee spending power.
United Kingdom - Several migrant women who work as delivery drivers in London told The Independent they regularly experience sexual harassment from customers and restaurant workers.
Did you know? Ride-hailing company Bolt now serves 1 million drivers in Africa and has more than 3.5 million drivers and couriers worldwide. The company also plans to go public, and preparations are already underway. Bolt would become only the second ride-hailing company to go public following Uber’s IPO in 2019.
Argentina
- Uber has announced the launch of Uber Moto and Flash Moto in eight cities of the country: Paraná, Posadas, Resistencia, Córdoba, Santa Fe, Tucumán, Salta, and Jujuy. The service landing occurred amid the controversy with the taxi drivers, who were against the company operating in the Argentinian tows.
- Uber is soon operating in Tierra del Fuego, but its arrival has generated the reaction of taxi associations, which demand better regulations for its activity.
Analysis: Food delivery companies like Lieferando and Wolt embrace new product categories, delivering anything customers could need in the short term, modems and credit cards included.
Hong-Kong - Meituan’s food delivery service KeeTa plans to cover the entire Hong Kong market by the end of this year. However, some analysts are skeptical that it can quickly generate a significant market share.
India - Zomato introduced an open data analysis platform for food trends to help its restaurant partners take a data-driven approach to prices, dishes, and location.
Indonesia
- InDrive is reportedly preparing a new way to make cashless payments using its services. It also actively participates in various social projects.
- Grab taxis are allowed to operate at Hang Nadim Airport in Batam after friction between online and traditional taxi drivers.
Italy
- Just Eat is offering new jobs in the South of Italy. Workers can benefit from an employment contract, including holiday sick and maternity leave. The company aims to hire 2,000 riders in one year nationwide.
- Uber Eats riders protested in 10 Italian towns against the platform leaving the country.
Norway - Foodora has lost 253 million krones (24 million dollars) over the past five years. The operating costs increased by 21 percent, contributing to the negative results.
The Netherlands
- Just Eat Takeaway was one of the biggest fallers on the Amsterdam stock exchange last Friday.
- Thuisbezorgd will expand the delivery of articles from SPAR stores.
UK - British supermarket group Waitrose has partnered with Uber Eats to provide groceries to shoppers' homes in 20 minutes.
US - Domino’s Pizza agreed with Uber to deliver its products at home.
Argentina - The Court No.15 of Buenos Aires has established that Uber violates numerous regulations.
India - The Karnataka government has announced life and accident insurance of Rs 4 lakh to e-commerce delivery workers.
Spain - The Cabildo de Gran Canaria has denied 3,400 authorizations for installing rental vehicles with a driver (VTC) on the island.