WageIndicator will host The Global South’s Perspective on the Gig Economy, a new webinar on gig work on Friday, 22 March 2024, 11.30 am - 1.30 pm CET.
Where is the debate on opportunities and challenges, and how can this story be told without blind spots and biases?
NAVIGATING FAIR COMPENSATION IN THE PLATFORM ECONOMY
To help gig workers earn decent pay, Wageindicator and GIZ presented the Living Tariff tool in Pakistan and Kenya.
Participants also had the opportunity to see how the Living Tariff tool works, its potential impact on workers' livelihoods, and considerations for effective implementation.
Try out the tool on the national websites of Indonesia, Pakistan, and Kenya.
NEW PODCAST EPISODE
Cocoroco is a platform that helps international companies looking for customer service professionals get in touch with candidates worldwide.
What are the opportunities and threats of remote working?
In this episode of The Gig Work Podcast from the WageIndicator Foundation, platform expert Martijn Arets talks to Floor Van Haaren, co-founder of Cocoroco, to learn more about his unique platform.
Dear reader,
WageIndicator will be hosting The Global South's perspective on the gig economy, a new webinar on gig work on Friday, March 22, 2024, 11.30 am - 1.30 pm CET.
Although a typical Western perspective on the gig economy is suspicious of high informality and low level of institutionalisation in the Global South, it’s undeniable that platforms are the major gateway to the labour market for millions of workers in many countries.
As Mamta Murthi, Vice President for Human Development at the World Bank, points out, “Gig work could provide people in low- and middle-income countries an additional path out of poverty, address youth unemployment, and support increased labour market participation for women."
Beyond reasonable concerns about the lack of fair work, a more nuanced picture emerges when we zoom in on specific contexts. Researchers and policymakers are therefore called to reject 'one-size-fits-all' models because there is no planet gig.
THERE IS NO PLANET GIG
If you get rid of nostalgic ideas about a return to classic Fordist models of work, highly developed institutions, and a low informal market, you'll see that there are also many opportunities for workers with unique skills to work for international clients.
Moreover, platforms centralise and partially formalise highly fragmented and invisible markets.
To provide context and a starting point for a comprehensive analysis, The Global South's perspective on the gig economy aims to learn from the context in which this development is occurring and to take a first step towards a truly 'global' debate on the gig economy.
WHO WILL BE PRESENT (MORE SPEAKERS TO BE ANNOUNCED SOON!)
The webinar will bring different voices to the table. These will include academics and platform representatives.
Some have already confirmed their participation. More will be announced soon.
Among the confirmed speakers are Varsha Bansal, an independent journalist; Aditi Surie, a researcher, and Albert Cañigueral, a researcher and consultant.
Moderated by Rachel Rietveld, Co-Director of ArbeidsmarktResearch UvA BV, they will discuss how platform business models are redefining processes and working conditions in the panel debate titled ‘The impact of the gig economy in the Global South.’
In the second panel session titled ‘Policies for a Stronger Gig Economy’, participants will hear from various platform representatives. These will include Bhavya Sharma, Director of Communications and ESG at Urban Company, the largest home services platform in India.
As corporations hold the ultimate responsibility for ensuring decent work, it is essential to consider their position on issues such as transparency and fair pay. Are they fulfilling their responsibilities in these areas? What policy recommendations still need to be implemented?
For registration and updates, feel free to visit the event’s page.
We are looking forward to seeing you there.
Have a nice day,
The WageIndicator Gig team
BLOGS
R.I.P. Platform Work Directive (and now on the move again)
On February 16, the EU law determining when platform workers should be treated as employees failed to win support in the Council.
The Platform Work Directive (PWD) did not get the support of the necessary number of member states.
It was the last opportunity to do so before the end of the parliamentary term in June.
"We'll now consider the next steps," the Belgian presidency of the Council said.
In a blog on Gigpedia.org, platform expert Martijn Arets comments on the latest developments in the Platform Work Directive.
PROJECTS
Other organisations' initiatives that deserve support
The Jobtech Alliance, an ecosystem-building initiative around inclusive 'jobtech' in Africa, led by Mercy Corps and BFA Global, is hosting the first Africa Jobtech Summit on March 13 and 14, 2024. The event will bring together entrepreneurs, researchers, policymakers, and more, to work out how to build platforms that deliver quality livelihoods for their users.
Colombia - The Defensoría al Repartidor has been hailed as a neutral mediator between Rappi and its drivers, but delivery workers claim it lacks autonomy from the company.
Indonesia - Drivers from Grab, Gojek, and Maxim held a demonstration in Samarinda, calling for sanctions against platforms that don’t apply the governor's fares.
Uruguay - Cabify drivers asked the Ministry of Economy and Finance for more benefits to be able to buy cars through leasing.
Kenya - Fem Cab prepares to launch its ride-hailing service and take on established players such as Uber, Bolt, and Faras.
India - The Karnataka government has introduced a new uniform fare for all cabs in Bengaluru.
Indonesia - GoTo has denied discussing plans to merge with Grab.
Sources: Valor.globo.com; Ilgiorno.it
Sources: Elpais.com; Reuters.com
Did you know?Data released by the National Statistics Office shows that 5% of Malta’s workforce is made up of gig workers.
Singapore - Deliveroo reports that restaurants are increasingly embracing digital and driving app-based food delivery.
Spain - Delivery Hero, the German parent company of Glovo, has 1.7 billion euros to pay the company's pending fines.
US
-
DoorDash has raised fees in New York City due to the new minimum pay.
-
After years of burning billions, Uber made an operating profit of 1.1 billion dollars in 2023.
US - The city of Hoboken, New Jersey, is pushing for e-bike delivery drivers to be licensed to increase safety, which will include fluorescent vests with their registration numbers.