Ukrainian regulatory policy’s target priorities to ensure decent working conditions in a platform economy

Abstract

The article explores and reveals the key trends in the system of social and labor relations related to the impact of digitalization and the platform economy. These include individualization, increased competitiveness, lack of personal connections and traditional work teams, one-time, short-term and informal relationships. These trends generate a number of challenges and threats to traditional mechanisms for implementing public policy in the social and labor sphere, which are based – at the core – on the fundamental inconsistency of the institutional framework for the functioning of traditional regulatory mechanisms in the field of labor and employment (which are focused on long-term formal employment and stable labor collectives) and the system of social and labor relations, which is formed by the platform economy (which is characterized by informality, short duration and individualization of social and labor relations that arise). That is, the platform economy does not create those subjects on which the traditional system of implementation of state policy in the social and labor sphere is based. The article reveals the essence of the main problems for the traditional regulatory mechanisms of state policy for the development of social and labor spheres that have emerged in the context of the spread of the platform economy. The main emphasis is on transformational changes in the system of social and labor relations; on the problems and opportunities for the formation of mechanisms for representing the collective interests of platform workers and employers; on the regulatory and legal uncertainty of the status and unregulated activities of labor platforms; on the "erosion" of jurisdiction on transnational labor platforms, etc. The main target priorities for ensuring balanced social and labor development in the conditions of platform economy spreading are substantiated. They are: updating the existing system of contractual and state regulation of the social and labor sphere; implementation of modern systems and mechanisms for representing the collective interests of platform workers and employers; implementation of the National Platform for Social Dialogue and Socially Responsible Partnership; ensuring a comprehensive regulatory framework for platforms, development and implementation of policies of state and contractual regulation for the harmonization of socio-economic, labor, digital, neo-industrial and sustainable development in modern conditions.