Working conditions “bad to very bad†in the platform economy
The platforms offer meal deliveries but also help in finding a plumber or a babysitter. Five platforms operating in Belgium were scrutinised as part of Fairwork, an international research project that looked at platforms in 28 countries: Meal deliverers Deliveroo and Takeaway, Ring Twice that finds you everything from IT support to a barber and the care platforms Yoopies and Top Help that offers home helps, child minders, etc.
People working in the quickly expanding platform economy rarely have clearly defined job status. Since 2018 Belgium’s peer-to-peer statute exempts these companies from social security payments and till last year they enjoyed a more favourable tax regime, but workers often cannot bank on labour conditions guaranteed by law to employees in traditional businesses.
Sociologist Valeria Pulignano explained that only two platforms guaranteed the minimum wage after costs were deducted, while only Takeaway could prove it provided protection against professional risks.
“There’s not a single platform in Belgium that complies with the principle of fair representation. Workers have no institutional channels by which to influence decisions that affect them”. Read More...
