CESI salutes forthcoming EU directive on fair working conditions in platforms

The vote on a compromise text negotiated by the Belgian Council Presidency together with representatives from the European Parliament, took place during a Council meeting of national employment minsiters yesterday in Brussels. In what is considered a historic vote, big players Germany and France were for the first time isolated and outvoted by the other 25 Member States. The European Parliament plenary still has to formally approve of the text too, which is scheduled for April 22.

CESI Secretary General Klaus Heeger said: “As independent trade unions, we salute the forthcoming EU directive on fair working conditions in the platform economy. We thank in particular the last Spanish and current Belgian Presidency for their tireless efforts to conclude a deal before the EU elections in June, and to push this through even against resistance from Germany and France. This success was both uncertain and crucial, because we do not know which political majorities will govern the European Parliament afterwards.”

He added: “As independent trade unions, we have campaigned for several years for this new directive. As stakeholders we have contributed our share to keep pressure high on politics to deliver. Many people economically active in the platform economy are independent on paper but de facto dependent workers, and in many cases exploited. The new directive could put an end to the worst forms of abuse.”

Klaus Heeger concluded: “Two major new rules stand out: First, a presumption of employment coupled with a reversal of the burden of proof. In the future, many platforms will have to prove that their employees are in fact no employees. This is a game changer and re-balances the power relationship from platforms at least to a certain extent back towards workers. As employees, there will be better wages, occupational health and safety and social protection for many platform workers. Second, there will be for the first time basic rules on algorithmic management in platforms, which can make sure that workers are for instance not fired purely as a result of algorithmic managed and automised decision making, without a human reviewing such decisions for appropriateness.”

CESI hopes that the European Parliament plenary will swiftly confirm the deal in plenary.