Coworkers instead of Rivals
In the rapidly evolving landscape of platform and cloud-based work, a growing emphasis is being placed on counter-individualising measures to create empowered, inclusive, and cohesive societies. These measures aim to address the challenges posed by the fragmented nature of platform work, where workers often lack traditional employment contracts and corresponding rights.
### 1. Enhancing Collective Rights and Representation
Recognising the importance of collective rights, efforts are being made to extend collective bargaining rights to platform workers, regardless of their employment status. This includes solo self-employed individuals, who currently find themselves at a disadvantage due to their legal classification.
Innovative collective representation models are also being proposed, adapting traditional methods for remote, dispersed platform workers. This includes enabling 'digital action' and new forms of collective organising suited to online environments, especially for those without a shared physical location.
Legal reforms are also underway, with the EU clarifying that collective agreements by solo self-employed persons comparable to workers should not be considered anti-competitive. This opens up legal space for collective bargaining by platform workers.
Access to algorithmic management information is another key component, improving transparency and accountability, and empowering workers to challenge unfair decisions on pay, hours, or dismissals.
### 2. Strengthening Social Protection and Workplace Rights
There is a push internationally to guarantee platform workers access to comprehensive social protection systems, including health, unemployment, and pension benefits, regardless of their employment classification. Regulating digital labour platforms to ensure safe working environments and fair terms is a key component of these proposed standards.
Protecting the right of platform workers to organise and form or join trade unions is essential to empower them as collective actors rather than isolated individuals.
### 3. Promoting Training and Lifelong Learning
Given the rapid technological evolution and automation in platform work, workers require lifelong learning opportunities to maintain employability and career progression. Successful initiatives like Germany's Dual Vocational Training and Singapore's SkillsFuture demonstrate the value of combining practical work experience with flexible education to support skills development tailored to industry needs.
Expanding adult education, financial support, and partnerships between governments, employers, and educational institutions are recommended to ensure workers, including those in precarious or platform work, can reskill and upskill throughout their careers.
These measures collectively aim to counter the isolation and vulnerability associated with platform and cloud-based work by ensuring platform workers have rights and support mechanisms traditionally granted in standard employment, thus promoting social cohesion and inclusion amid the digital transformation of work.
As the new world of work leads to an increase in self-employment and potentially increased competition among former colleagues, these counter-individualising measures are more crucial than ever to ensure a fair and inclusive workforce.
- In the realm of science and policy-and-legislation, proposals for innovative digital action and collective organizing are being explored to empower platform workers, aiming to advance their health-and-wellness and workplace-wellness rights in the general-news sector.
- To combat the fragmented nature of platform work, increasing emphasis is being placed on strengthening social protection systems, extending benefits such as health, unemployment, and pension coverage to platform workers as well as regulating digital labor platforms for fair terms and safe working environments.
- The future of platform work lies in promoting training and lifelong learning opportunities, with examples like Germany's Dual Vocational Training and Singapore's SkillsFuture demonstrating the importance of practical work experience and flexible education for skills development in this rapidly evolving business landscape.
