Rušenje granica - tradicionalni sindikati u Srbiji i borba za prava radnika na platformama

Introduction The rise of the platform economy has created new forms of work, including platform work. However, platform workers are more vulnerable to occupational safety and health (OSH) risks compared to traditional workers. Platform algorithms, designed for efficiency, can endanger workers' health and safety. For example, delivery riders face increased traffic accident risks due to short delivery times imposed by algorithms. Additionally, platform workers often experience psychological stress due to unstable work environments, opaque evaluation systems, and unfair attribution of responsibility. Research Objectives This study aims to contribute to the social discourse on platform workers' health issues by thoroughly analysing them through qualitative and quantitative research methods and proposing solutions. The research comprises three main components: 1. In-depth Interviews with Platform Workers We conducted in-depth interviews with platform workers from seven different types of jobs: delivery, ride-hailing, caregiving, quick service, food delivery, housework, and cultural arts. By analyzing the characteristics and OSH issues of each type, we shed light on the diversity of the platform economy, the seriousness of the health problems it generates, and seek to identify homogenous occupational health challenges faced by workers across various sectors. 2. 10-Year Research on Platform Drivers and Participatory Research We present the results of a 10-year study on platform drivers and a participatory research project on how they protect their occupational health. This study analyzes the types of health problems, causes, and preventive measures for platform drivers, specifically identifying the health risk factors in the platform economy. Additionally, the participatory research conducted with platform drivers highlights their strategies and challenges in protecting their occupational health. 3. Algorithm Tax as a Policy Solution We analyze the negative impact of platform algorithms on platform workers' health and propose an algorithm tax as a policy solution. The algorithm tax would be a levy on platform companies' algorithm usage, generating the necessary resources to improve OSH for platform workers. This would enhance platform companies' social responsibility and establish a social safety net for platform workers' health protection. Conclusion and Policy Implications This study emphasizes that platform workers' health issues should not be regarded as individual problems but as social issues that require collective solutions. As the platform economy grows, platform workers' health problems are becoming more severe, potentially affecting the health and safety of society as a whole. Therefore, collaborative efforts from various stakeholders, including governments, businesses, workers, and academia, are crucial to addressing platform workers' health issues.

This chapter examines the labour status of platform workers in the Korean digital labour market, situated in cell 3 of the theoretical framework, which is characterised by a high level of melting labour but a low level of institutional protection consistency. Melting labour emphasises the ambiguity in determining a worker’s identity or employer, resulting in a legal blind spot regarding workers in new forms of work. The inconsistency of existing institutional protection policies and new forms of work brought about by the digital economy results in various forms of precarious work. Official data and legal definitions of platform work in Korea are presented, and the expansion of the platform labour market into diverse sectors with the advancement of technology and high internet usage rates in Korea is explained. The chapter categorises platform companies and workers and conducts interviews with workers in delivery, housekeeping services and high-skilled freelance platforms, examining their working conditions and experiences with social protection. The aim of this chapter is to shed light on the precariousness and lack of institutional protection experienced by platform workers in Korea. Specifically, it highlights the inconsistency of the social security system in providing coverage and mitigating insecurity for those situated in cell 3 of the theoretical framework.

Ensuring social protection for people having lost their jobs is an important part of the social protection system. Although health insurance and pension insurance have traditionally been the most important social protection systems, then social guarantees (both passive and active measures) for the unemployed cannot be underestimated in the changed forms of employment. New forms of work necessitate attention to whether and how people working under new forms of employment, e.g. platform workers, can register as unemployed and whether short-term employment may worsen their standing compared to other unemployed. This article analyses the Estonian social protection system for the unemployed and the planned changes in connection with platform work.

The impact of socioeconomic factors on vegetation restoration in karst regions: A perspective beyond climate and ecological engineering

In the Netherlands, the social security rights of platform workers have still not been formally defined. At present, the level of social security protection accorded to all workers is derived directly from the labour law qualification. In the continuing absence in the Netherlands of specific legislation for platform workers, specifically as regards labour law and social security law, the existing legislation is steering. This means that the platform worker is either included using the status of employee with the corresponding extensive protection package, or the status of self‐employed with limited social protection. For the majority of platform workers, this second option is applied to date. Nevertheless, recent developments point to possible improvements in the social security position of platform workers in the Netherlands.

Platform labour has established itself as a new form of work in recent years. The platforms themselves advertise the flexibility and freedom of being an independent contractor as beneficial characteristics of their working arrangements. However, existing studies show that these promises do not always correspond to workers' lived experiences. While manifold research discusses the often precarious working conditions of established platform workers, less is known about gaining access to gig work in the first place. This paper draws attention to onboarding processes in the place-based gig economy. From a feminist geography perspective and building on geographies of affect, this paper analyses the process of getting a first paid gig, focusing on how emotions shape platform workers' daily lives. Through autoethnography, I reflect on my own experiences of trying to establish myself as paid platform worker. Contrary to common assumptions, I argue that access to the place-based gig economy is not necessarily straightforward. The paper shows how the labour mediation processes implemented by the platforms create in- and exclusions from the beginning. By letting the workers chase a first gig, the platform capitalises on extended unpaid labour, which is key in maintaining the value production in the gig economy itself.

Objectives. Technological development in the field of access to work has caused changes in the market and developed new strategies of professional activity. Within the gig economy, new forms of work have emerged. Methods. This article compares platform workers with freelancers and traditional workers. The study addresses the issue of psychosocial working conditions and subjective well-being experienced by these groups. Platform workers (N = 200) were compared with freelancers (N = 209) and traditional workers (N = 263) in terms of psychosocial working conditions (Copenhagen psychosocial questionnaire [COPSOQ II]) and subjective well-being (European Quality of Life Survey). Results. The conducted analysis shows the fundamental differences between Polish platform workers compared to freelancers and traditional workers. The results only indicate differences in the level of influence at work and development opportunities and in experiencing violent behavior at work. Conclusions. The study does not show clear or large differences between the measured occupational groups in terms of psychosocial working conditions or subjective well-being, which was originally assumed, but a field for discussion was created on the importance of differentiating traditional and non-traditional employees.

This policy brief discusses the implications for labour and trade unions of new forms of work that are organised via distributed digital networks using the internet. The authors focus on what has been called ‘commons-based peer production’ but also address the more controversial case of ‘platform capitalism’ (such as Uber or AirBnB). These new forms of production and work pose real challenges for the trade union movement and workers. According to some research, there is evidence of a direct connection between precarious work, new unemployment and these emerging forms of production and work. The aim of the authors of this brief is to highlight also the opportunities that the emergence of peer production offers for the labour movement and workers in the form of a new wave of cooperative organisations that can create ‘non-subordinate labour’.

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a negative impact on the working conditions of so-called platform workers that have faced the lack of labour and social protection deriving from their formal status of independent contractors. Seeking for protection, numerous claims have been filed by the riders and drivers of digital platforms that were asking for a recognition of the subordinate work. The aim of the present article is to give a critical and brief overview of the latest European jurisprudence regarding the legal status of platform workers. The article focuses on the methodology and criteria applied by the judges in order to examine the particularities of the new forms of work and new forms of surveillance as well. Special attention is paid to on-location work performance by low-skilled individuals conducting services for the digital platforms operating in food delivery and transportation sectors.

In today’s world, the rapid development of digital technologies and the gig economy has led to the emergence of new forms of employment that significantly change traditional labor relations. The platform economy, based on short­term contracts and freelance work, has become an important element of the labor market, offering new opportunities for workers, but at the same time presenting them with numerous challenges. The legal status of platform workers remains uncertain in many countries. Platforms often classify their workers as «independent contractors», «economically dependent independent workers» or «self-employed», which allows them to avoid obligations related to labor laws. This leads to legal gaps that jeopardize the social protection of workers on digital platforms. Different approaches to the legal status and social guarantees of workers in different countries create additional complexities in regulation. The issue of legal classification of digital platform workers remains unresolved, affecting their labor rights and social security. The authors consider the challenges that arise in connection with new forms of employment that displace traditional labor relations. The main attention is paid to the legal uncertainty of the status of gig workers, their social protection and the lack of a unified approach to the regulation of this sphere in different EU countries. The article analyzes legislative initiatives and case law in France, Germany, Austria and Spain, where the legal status of platform workers varies from employed to self-employed. Particular attention is paid to recent court decisions that affect the classification of platform workers and their social rights. The study reveals significant differences in the national legislation and judicial practice of different EU countries, which indicates the need to develop a unified European approach to the regulation of new forms of work. The authors emphasize the need to adapt national legislation to the new realities of the labor market, in light of the new EU Directive (Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on improving working conditions in platform work), which aims to ensure the correct classification of employment status and the protection of the rights of gig workers.

The aim of the paper is to analyze the zero-hour contract in the context of platform work; specifically, the risks and opportunities of this type of provision of services. In the context of the sharing economy and gig-economy, there have emerged multiple App-based companies that have significantly altered the way in which services are provided. Companies like Uber, Lift, Taskrabbit, Deriveroo, Glovo or Amazon Mechanical Turk have introduced new forms of work that have altered the boundaries of Labor Law. The model of these companies is the division of their production into microtasks, the externalization of their entire production to a wide number of independent contractors through an App or webpage and the hiring of each service on-demand. As a result, new technologies have allowed these companies to avoid hiring workers and to provide their services entirely through self-employed workers. This hiring on-demand implies the use, de facto, of the zero-hour contract, as platform workers are not subject to a specific working time regime, having absolute liberty to determine, not only their schedule, but also their working time and, even, their willingness to work. In this context, the aim of the paper is to analyze the zero-hour scheme in the context of platform work. The final objective of the paper is to determine, from a lege ferenda perspective, if jurisdictions should introduce this type of contract to promote the business model used by digital platforms or, on the contrary, if they should ban it.

Purpose This study empirically analyzes Chinese court rulings on the determination of employment relations for delivery platform workers between 2021 and 2024. It explores the evolving characteristics, changes and trends in judicial decisions within the context of recent policy developments. Design/methodology/approach Using a mixed-method empirical approach, the study combines quantitative and qualitative analyzes of publicly available court rulings in China. It identifies emerging patterns and developments in judicial reasoning influenced by recent shifts in regulatory frameworks. Findings The study reveals a significant decline in cases involving platform workers with typical crowdsourcing features seeking employment recognition, following the introduction of the “incomplete employment relation” concept. Judicial focus has shifted to identifying hidden employment relations within these incomplete forms. Courts now emphasize the principle of primacy of facts, assessing the actual exercise of labour management rather than relying on formal contracts. When determining the employer, courts often identify contractors or agents overseeing platform delivery services as responsible parties, regardless of specific outsourcing structures. Notably, work-related injuries remain a crucial factor shaping courts' subjective value judgments in employment recognition. Research limitations/implications This study is limited to delivery platform workers, which may not fully represent the diversity of platform-based labour in other sectors. Additionally, as the analysis is confined to judicial rulings, it may not capture the full complexity of labour conditions beyond the courtroom. Originality/value This study provides a timely empirical account of how Chinese courts are addressing the legal ambiguities surrounding platform labour, particularly in light of evolving policy directives. It contributes to comparative labour law by examining how judicial reasoning in platform labour cases adapts traditional employment theories to accommodate new forms of work. The findings also offer insights into future legal reform in platform governance and employment classification.

ABSTRACTFlexibility is an important ability of platform workers to adapt to the ever‐changing job requirements and the environment in which they work. It is beneficial for enhancing platform workers' work efficiency and promoting the development of platform enterprises. Grounded in sensemaking theory, a theoretical model based on the Chinese industrial relationship context was constructed to reveal the influence of the enterprise‐union coupling relationship (EUCR) on platform workers' flexibility. Data from 322 platform workers were analyzed to test the theoretical model. The results indicate the following: (1) Relative to the management practices of platform enterprises (i.e., human resource management practices), EUCR can generate incremental effects on platform workers' flexibility; (2) EUCR promotes career calling, which in turn, improves platform workers' flexibility; and (3) Customer gratitude expression strengthens the relationship between EUCR and career calling, leading to a higher level of flexibility. This study identified new factors affecting platform workers' flexibility from the perspective of interactions between platform enterprises and trade unions. It offers practical guidance for platform enterprises and trade unions in China to provide spiritual support and value transmission to platform workers to boost their flexibility.

This note examines the purported impact of conventional socioeconomic and social environment factors on annual, state-level suicide rates. Results from an inductive fixed-effects (covariance) analysis, of state-level time-series/cross-section data for the period 1985-95, do little to support Durkheim's social causes hypothesis that aggregate socioeconomic factors matter in explaining state suicide rates. A possible source of heterogeneity-aggregation bias is identified raising questions surrounding past inferences made in aggregate suicide research. The data and empirical method support a mounting sentiment of an abiding ecological fallacy in the suicide literature. Implications of this investigation call for a shift in research focus and method to a smaller unit of analysis (for example, individual-level, controlling for key social processes).

This study includes clinical cohort data on 202 People Living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) in Izmir, Turkey. Study is conducted at the Izmir Bozyaka Education and Training Hospital, Department of Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbiology and analyzes the impact of demographic, socio-economic, and clinical factors of HIV stigma, which includes three dimensions of stigma: internalized, anticipated, and enacted. This paper uses clinic data recorded by patients and healthcare professionals of the outpatient clinic. In order to obtain socio-economic measures, patients were interviewed face-to-face. We employ a logistics regression model that aligns with our binary stigma variables. Robustness checks include Ordinary Least Squares and Ordered Logistics models. Our results show that age and marital status are the 2 important demographic factors that affect stigmatized attitudes. Divorced PLWHA have a higher degree of both internalized and anticipated stigma. We find that educated people have a lower degree of internalized stigma. In addition, a higher-income level is found to be inversely associated with enacted stigma. Our results also reveal that LGBTs, drug users, and people who have chronic illnesses have experienced higher stigma levels. This paper explores the complex ways socioeconomic factors contribute to stigma in the Turkish context, addressing a significant gap in the literature since the cultural and social dynamics of stigma in Turkey are frequently overlooked. Recognizing the protective influence of education and income, policies such as integrating HIV education into school curricula and offering financial assistance to PLWHA, especially those from low-income backgrounds, can help reduce stigma.