European Union opens consultation on digital platform workers

The European Commission has launched a consultation on working conditions ride-sharing drivers, pizza delivery people, and other workers in the sharing economy, and began by gathering feedback from unions and employers.

The aim of the Commission is improve protection for millions of self-employed in the European Union, and the consultation, announced on Wednesday, comes at a time when courts have repeatedly ruled that workers should be considered employees.

“The digital age opens up great opportunities for businesses, consumers and citizens. We must ensure that these new ways of working remain sustainable and fair. “said Commission Executive Vice President Margrethe Vestager, who oversees digital and antitrust affairs.

It may be necessary make improvements in areas such as employment status, health and safety conditions and social protectionsaid the Commission, as well as access to collective bargaining. A possible regulation based on the conclusions of the consultation could be made later this year.

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Uber Technologies Inc. suffered a heavy blow last week after the UK Supreme Court ruled it should Treat your drivers like employees and give them rights like paid vacation, rest and minimum wage. A French court issued a similar ruling last year, while in Spain the government is seeking to change laws to force food delivery platforms to formally employ delivery people.

Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi told Bloomberg last week his company was “ready to do more and go much further” to improve social protections for platform workers, but that businesses “need clear and progressive laws”.

Around 24 million people, or 11% of the European Union’s workforce, have provided services to digital platforms at least once, and for around 3 million of those people, this is their business main, according to the EU. He added that Unions and employers will initially be encouraged to work out issues with each other, and new policies will only be implemented if they fail.

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The control of the working conditions of the platforms comes after several within the collaborative economy become essential workers during the pandemic, deliver food or groceries to people confined to their homes. However, their freelance contracts have fewer benefits than full employees, especially paid sick leave if they contract coronavirus.

European Union antitrust regulators consider possible exemptions from competition rules to help these workers lobby for better wages. The merger regulation in Europe has imposed billions of euros in fines on companies that conspire to raise prices. These same rules have also been used to prevent freelancers from coming together to collectively promote better compensation.It’s coming from powerful employers like America’s tech giants.