Not enough evidence that digital labour platforms in India are willing to recognise unions: Study

There isn’t enough evidence to say that digital labour platforms in India are willing to recognise a collective body of workers or trade unions, according to the Fairwork India Ratings 2024 report.

On Tuesday, the Fairwork India team, in association with Oxford University, presented its sixth consecutive annual study titled “Labour Standards in the Platform Economy”, a study on the working conditions of workers on digital labour platforms in India.

Based on desk research, worker interviews and evidence provided by platforms, the Fairworks India Ratings 2024 study assigned scores to 11 platforms offering location-based services in sectors such as domestic and personal care, food delivery, logistics and transportation.

Fair conditions, fair contracts, fair management, fair pay and fair representation were the principles against which platforms were assessed. Each principle is dissected into two points, a first point and a second point that can only be awarded if the first has been fulfilled.

This year, no platform scored more than six out of a maximum of 10 points, and none scored all the first points across the five principles.

“This year witnessed gig workers’ welfare increasingly gain attention in political manifestos and legislative initiatives. But with the implementation of these efforts remaining uncertain, and platforms redefining gig work, research and advocacy to improve the conditions of gig workers are ever more relevant,” said professors Balaji Parthasarathy and Janaki Srinivasan.

Urban Company and Bigbasket got first points under ‘fair pay’ for instituting a minimum wage policy that guarantees that all workers get at least the hourly local minimum wage after accounting for work-related costs. No platform earned the second point, which needs them to commit to and ensure a local living wage after accounting for work-related costs.

The first point for ‘fair contracts’ was awarded to six of the 11 platforms. Bigbasket, BluSmart, Swiggy, Urban Company, Zepto and Zomato were awarded this point for ensuring the accessibility and comprehensibility of their contracts and having protocols for the protection and management of worker data.

By adopting a change notification clause in their contracts, and adopting a code of conduct for their subcontractors, reducing asymmetries in liability and making the variables influencing pricing transparent where dynamic pricing is used, Bigbasket, BluSmart, Swiggy, Zepto and Zomato met the requirements for the second point under ‘fair contracts’.

For providing adequate safety equipment and periodic safety training to workers on their platforms, Amazon Flex, Bigbasket, BluSmart, Swiggy, Urban Company, Zepto and Zomato received the first point under ‘fair conditions’.

However, only Bigbasket, Swiggy, Urban Company, Zepto and Zomato earned the second point for providing workers with accident insurance coverage at no additional cost, monetary compensation for income loss in case they are unable to work due to medical reasons other than accidents, and for ensuring a worker’s standing does not take a hit when they return after a break taken with prior notice to the platform.

For providing due process in decisions affecting workers and channels for workers to appeal disciplinary actions, Amazon Flex, Bigbasket, BluSmart, Flipkart, Swiggy, Urban Company and Zomato were awarded the first point for ‘fair management’.

By institutionalising the conduct of regular external audits to check for biases in their work allocation system and adopting policies against the discrimination of platform workers, sufficient evidence was provided by BluSmart, Swiggy, Urban Company, and Zomato to meet the second point for ‘fair management’.