SINGAPORE—The International Labor Organization (ILO) is now eyeing the creation of a new convention or recommendation which can help provide additional protection for workers in the “gig” or platform economy.
The labor arm of the United Nations made the statement as countries continue to impose varying regulations for workers involved in the production and delivery of services such as food delivery or booking a ride, which are coordinated through digital platforms.
In a press conference before the formal opening of the 17th Asia and the Pacific Regional Meeting (APRM) on Tuesday, ILO Director-General Gilbert F. Houngbo said the proposed international labor standards (ILS) is already being discussed by their governing board.
They are currently considering, he said, issuing a new convention or recommendation for the gig economy, especially since the concerns of gig economy workers may not be covered by the laws in their countries, their employers being based abroad.
“What if you don’t get paid, what are your recourse? Which law and tribunal applies to you?” Houngbo raised as a hypothetical question.
Aside from dispute resolution, other issues faced by gig economy workers include their lack of social welfare of protection and occupational safety and health. They also face challenges of transparency on the algorithm such concerns may be addressed through the creation of a new convention or recommendations, according to Houngbo.
ILO conventions are legally binding international treaties that may be ratified by member states, while recommendations serve as non-binding guidelines.
“We had a very good discussion [about gig economy] three weeks ago in our governing body and that is meant to continue in March,” Houngbo said.
Despite the issues of the gig economy, he stressed the importance for the scheme to continue, since flexibility and better work-life balance is afforded somehow to workers engaged in the scheme.
Better protection
Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU) chair Elmer Labog, one of the Philippine delegates representing labor at the APRM, welcomed the pronouncement of Houngbo, which he hopes can help “regularize” the status of gig economy workers.
“We want them to be recognized as part of the productive forces of the economy and therefore should be considered as contractual workers. They should be regularized,” Labog told BusinessMirror in an interview.
For his part, Labor Undersecretary Benedicto Ernesto R. Bitonio Jr., one of the government representatives in the APRM, said the proposed new ILS will help standardize platform work worldwide.
However, he noted the process of making the ILS will take a long time since it will involve ILO first conducting a survey to draw inputs from its stakeholders, which it must collate to produce the draft convention or recommendation.
Bitonio said the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) is ready to participate in the consultations to be called by ILO for creating the new ILS.
“Of course we need not wait for any instruments to take national action on pressing issues in our labor market,” Bitonio said.
Certain pending legislations in the Philippine Congress are meant to provide protection to gig economy workers.