A step forward for platform workers. The European Parliament and EU member states agreed on Wednesday on legislation to strengthen the rights of millions of workers on digital platforms like Uber and Deliveroo.
This text plans to reclassify as employees many people currently considered self-employed in order to strengthen their social protection. The EU estimates that “at least 5.5 million”, out of a total of nearly 30 million, are the number of platform workers today wrongly considered independent. “Drivers and delivery people will obtain the social rights to which they are entitled” while “the platforms will benefit from legal certainty”, welcomed European Commissioner Nicolas Schmit, at the origin of the draft regulation presented in December 2021.
Five criteria defined to determine the status of workers
Since then, the text has been negotiated by the co-legislators who announced a political agreement on Wednesday. It will still have to be formally approved by MEPs in plenary session and by the Council of the EU which represents the member states. “This is a revolutionary agreement and the first legislative framework for digital platform workers,” rejoiced Italian Social Democratic MEP Elisabetta Gualmini, rapporteur of the text.
In order to harmonize the status of platform workers, the new legislation establishes five criteria: the fact that a platform sets remuneration levels, remotely supervises services, does not allow its employees to choose their schedules or refuse work missions, requires the wearing of uniforms, or even prohibits working for other companies.
If at least two criteria are met, the platform would be “presumed” to be an employer, and would have to comply with labor law obligations (minimum salary, working hours, sick pay, safety standards, etc.) imposed by the legislation of the country concerned.