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There are fierce battles in Europe over the status of digital platform employees
IN SUMMARY:
- Workers on digital platforms, such as drivers and food couriers, do not receive the usual social guarantees that others receive.
- A new directive to improve working conditions on platforms is being enforced in Brussels.
- The intended innovation is a procedure for proving that a person is an employee and not a self-employed person.
- However, digital platforms are not satisfied with the designs.
- At the same time, there is a call to remember how important these workers have been during the Covid pandemic.
- The new policy also proposes to introduce more transparency into how platforms use algorithms for workforce management.
Digital platforms such as “Uber”, “Deliveroo” or “Bolt” have long been part of everyday life. They also provide income and work to drivers, food couriers and many others. However, these people are mostly self-employed, so they do not receive the same social guarantees as employees of a company. For example, paid sick leave, vacation and pension.
Members of the European Parliament believe that in many cases these people are actually not self-employed but employed.
Italian Socialist MEP Elizabeth Gualmini said: “If you are completely dependent on an algorithm, on a computer system that organizes your work, your breaks, the speed at which you have to deliver things, your holidays, then it is very difficult to think about yourself.” Independently. In this case, you are an employee, you are an employee who deserves to receive the social guarantees that come with it.”
Member Gualmini is responsible for advancing a new policy that aims to improve working conditions on platforms. In mid-December, a political agreement was reached between the European Parliament and the member states.
One of the most important innovations is the introduction of a procedure with a series of criteria to prove that a person is not self-employed but an employee.
“We move with the dynamics of innovation and change. We are not against change, innovation and digitalization in the labor market. But we believe that this major change and transformation should be managed to protect workers.” 28 million workers are connected to the platforms and the number is growing every month. Therefore, this is the first law that focuses on the future labor market,” said the MP.
Digital platforms are anything but happy with this idea. They have spent a lot of time convincing both MEPs and Member State representatives that their model is different from traditional employment. Gualmini acknowledged that there had been enormous pressure from lobbies.
It may have worked, as most countries are no longer willing to support the agreement reached in mid-December between the Spanish Presidency and Parliament. The Baltic states as well as Italy and France are against it. Negotiations must therefore continue.
On the other hand, the Chairman of the European Parliament’s Employment and Social Affairs Committee, Dragoš Pislaru, urged us not to forget the important role that food couriers, for example, played for many people until recently.
“This is a very important and historic moment as we fight for the rights of workers working on digital platforms. It is important to remember the pandemic here. At that time, more than five million people across Europe helped us a lot “We ensured our normal lives. Now is the right time to examine their situation, improve their working conditions and ensure that they can enjoy their rights and adequate guarantees,” Pislaru said.
The new policy also proposes to introduce more transparency into how platforms use algorithms for workforce management. Today, many of these processes are controlled by computer systems, so decision-making tends to be unclear and incomprehensible. Instead, it is suggested that systems should be monitored by qualified professionals.
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