Platform workers fight back

A new TUC report, Seven ways platform workers are fighting back, provides a collection of essays addressing the lack of employment rights that characterise the “gig economy” or “platform economy” that has become prevalent in the UK and across the European Union (see also page 4).

While the two terms are often used interchangeably, Tim Sharp, the TUC’s senior employment rights policy officer, explains that there is a difference. This is that “gig economy refers to work based on short-term tasks while platform economy refers to transactions that take place through digital means”. But both are set up to avoid legal obligations that come with an employment relationship.

According to a series of polls analysed and explained in the report, there has been a five-fold increase in this type of casualised work over the past decade. The study also points out that the coronavirus pandemic seems to have been the catalyst for a further surge in platform growth.

And the use of digital management practices has spread across the rest of the workforce.

Written by trade union lawyers, academics and activists, the report explains the significance of the legal victory in Uber BV and others (Appellants) v Aslam and others (Respondents) (2020) UKSC 5 and how it can be used to challenge contracts that seek to deny workers their statutory rights.

It looks at how platforms use data to control workers, and considers how unions can develop their organising strategies to fight back against them.

https://www.tuc.org.uk/sites/default/files/2021-11/PlatformEssaysWithPollingData2.pdf