Gig work is now an established form of employment today, however, employment regulations surrounding such operations are exceedingly rare. Making a concentrated effort to expand on gig worker protections globally, the International Labour Organization (ILO) has now agreed to adopt new binding employment standards to regulate the management of labor in such industries. While governments will still need to ratify these regulations and assent to adherence, the efforts to improve gig worker labor standards are a step in a positive direction for an expansive cohort of workers.
The International Labour Organization’s treaty offers additional protections for gig workers, calling for a global improvement in labor standards. (Image: Freepik)
The ILO Announces a Global Treaty in Favor of Global Gig Worker Protections
The ILO’s treaty on gig worker rights, voted on during the 114th International Labour Conference held in Geneva, attempts to standardize rights and protections for millions of workers across the globe. While eight countries like the United States and New Zealand voted against the treaty to establish gig workers’ rights, 406 member-states voted in favor of establishing these regulations more firmly in operations, whereas 36 abstained from voting.
The Decent Work in the Platform Economy Convention focuses on people who find work through digital platforms, the majority of whom are seen as independent contractors rather than employees. The treaty aims to encourage member-states to correct such classifications and “take measures to respect, promote, and realise, in the platform economy, the fundamental principles and rights at work.”
This places a greater emphasis on social protections for gig workers in areas of minimum wages, healthcare benefits, social security contributions, protections from abrupt, unjustified terminations, and an overall shift in safety standards with regard to their daily operations. Regular payment schedule and clarity on pay and deductions are essential for every worker, but gig workers often operate in the dark.
Apart from gig worker protections, the ILO convention also broached the conversation surrounding international regulations on algorithmic management in operations, which now creates a more formalized structure towards platforms disclosing how their automated systems manage worker schedules and pay. With the protections in place, gig workers should be allowed the right to ask for written explanations on such matters, safe from any discriminatory decisions affecting their employment.
Improving Gig Worker Labor Standards Is a Collective Responsibility for Employers in the Industry
Previous estimates from the World Bank suggest that between 154 million and 435 million people could be currently involved in app-based work across the globe. Improved regulations could transform the lives of millions of workers, adding social protections where possible to ensure that they are fairly treated despite the alternative nature of their employment.
“The adoption of this treaty is a turning point for millions of platform workers who are denied labor protections,” Lena Simet, Senior Economic Justice Adviser at Human Rights Watch, explained. “Governments have recognised that companies cannot use new technologies as a loophole to avoid workers’ rights, including fair pay, safe working conditions, and social security.“
Ultimately, the ILO’s treaty surrounding gig workers isn’t definitive and binding, as governments need to ratify their agreement and create their own regulatory structures surrounding the enforcement of labor laws and protections for gig workers. The extent of available protections will also depend on the recategorization of gig workers. Some protections, such as the elimination of forced labor and child labor, and collective bargaining rights, apply regardless of categorization.
The agreement encourages governing bodies to place a greater emphasis on regulation, ensuring they follow through with their commitment to the treaty. If ratified and implemented into national law, it provides workers with greater authority to challenge platform operators and take action against non-compliant operations, strengthening their voice and ability to ask for change.
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