European Commissioner for Jobs and Social Rights Nicolas Schmit, S&D EMPL coordinator and Chair of the PES Social Europe Network Agnes Jongerius MEP, Portuguese Deputy Minister for Labour and Vocational Training Miguel Cabrita, and ETUC Confederal Secretary Ludovic Voet took part in the PES livestream Platform work: time to deliver rights. The discussion was moderated by PES Deputy Secretary General Yonnec Polet.
The online event – streamed simultaneous in English (watch here), Italian (here) and German (here) – focused on how to improve conditions for people employed through apps like Uber, Deliveroo and Gorillas, known collectively as ‘platform workers’.
Europe’s socialist and democratic family is fighting to ensure workers’ rights are enforced and all workers have access to adequate social protections.
S&D EMPL coordinator and Chair of the PES Social Europe Network Agnes Jongerius MEP said:
“We have cases of Uber drivers or Deliveroo cyclists who don’t get a minimum wage. They don’t have paid holidays. They are exposed to health and safety hazards and don’t have sick leave or other social protections. They work long hours, and on some platforms there is a difference between the pay of men and women. There is a big issue here.
“Some platforms are exploiting loopholes in the law. When they say these cyclists or taxi drivers are not on our pay role, platforms mean to say they are also not obliged to pay taxes or social benefits for these workers. So, the collective is losing out too. These companies are avoiding their responsibility to society.”
She added:
“We need to make a change in the system. If it looks like a duck, swims like a duck and walks like a duck it is most likely a duck. If people get their work organised by an algorithm, which decides on their workload, working time and remuneration, let’s simply assume they are employees. If platforms want to claim that some of these workers are actually self-employed, let them bring the case to court. Platform workers must be considered employees until proven self-employed.”
As technologies facilitate innovation, expand consumer choices, and create new jobs that promise greater flexibility and autonomy, the PES is determined to ensure digital platforms respect good working and employment standards. New forms of working – which often generate massive profits for companies – must never lead to social dumping, the externalisation of employers’ responsibilities or the erosion of protections.
It is time to ensure digitisation delivers for working people. It is time to deliver rights for platform workers.
