Gig and Platform Workers' Strike
On December 31, gig and platform workers initiated a strike by logging off from delivery apps to protest against exploitative conditions, inhumane treatment, and lack of social security. Despite limited public response, these issues highlight a global struggle to define and regulate the nature of gig work.
Challenges in Defining Employment Relationships
- The core issue is the refusal of app-based aggregators to be classified as employers, complicating efforts to regulate them under existing labor laws.
- Workers are often treated as self-employed without clear contracts, leading to exploitation without accountability.
- The relationship's opacity allows corporations to implement a reward-and-punishment system, leaving workers vulnerable to arbitrary algorithm-based decisions.
Labor Codes and Gig Workers
Recent labor codes enacted in 2020, including the code on wages, exclude gig workers, recognizing them only under social security codes without rights.
- Corporations' only obligation is contributing to a social security fund, with no commitment to workers' rights.
- Gig workers lack protections for work hours, leave, or benefits for sickness or accidents.
Role of Government and Global Movements
- The gig workforce is significant, and their precarious conditions require government intervention to recognize them as employees.
- Some countries in the Global North and South (e.g., Mexico, Brazil) have recognized gig workers as employees.
- In India, states like Rajasthan and Karnataka are attempting to legislate similar protections.
Conclusion
The growing gig economy workforce, marked by vulnerability and lack of rights, demands urgent government action to recognize them as employees with all associated rights.
