Global uncertainty, fuel costs hit gig workers worldwide: ILO official

Global economic uncertainty and rising fuel costs are affecting gig and platform workers worldwide, says ILO's Michiko Miyamoto. She highlighted the high cost of operations as an immediate risk, calling for a global solution.

Global economic uncertainty and rising fuel costs are affecting gig and platform workers worldwide, making it harder for them to sustain operations and livelihoods, Michiko Miyamoto, Director, International Labour Organization (ILO) Decent Work Technical Support Team (DWT) for South Asia and Country Office for India, said told ANI today.

"Many countries are suffering from multiple challenges and definitely gig workers and platform workers, not only in India, are suffering because of rising fuel costs. The immediate risk is the high cost of running operations," Miyamoto said She told this to ANI in an exclusive interview on the sidelines of Stakeholders' Consultation and Challanges For Gig and Platform Workers in India on being asked how global uncertainties and a slowing down in the world economy due to the tensions in the West Asia and rising inflation hitting the financial condition of the gig workers.

"This is not one country issue. There has to be a regional and global solution so that the global economy is not going to go down, which translates into the suffering of all workers, not just gig workers, but all of us trying to make a living," she added.

She further said that the governments and stakeholders globally need to work together to ensure businesses continue operating while workers in the platform economy are able to earn sustainable incomes. "Hopefully globally we have to find a solution so businesses can operate and all the people working in the platform economy can actually make a good living out of this situation," she added.

Challenges for Gig Workers in India

Speaking about the challenges faced by gig workers in India, Miyamoto said the platform economy has created employment opportunities for many people, but ensuring safe working conditions remains critical. "People need to have opportunities. So I really think the gig and platform economy can give such opportunities for many who are looking for employment. At the same time, people need to be working in a safe environment," she said.

Referring to the ongoing heat conditions in several parts of the country, she said drivers and delivery workers spend long hours on roads and need adequate protection and safeguards. "There has to be some system to make sure that drivers have no accidents, no deterioration and all those basic things have to be standardized," she said.

Miyamoto also pointed to safety concerns for workers engaged through platforms for domestic work and other household services, saying their working conditions and health protections must also be addressed.

Impact of Changing Demand

Responding to a question on Prime Minister asking people to use less fossil fuel and work from home, Miyamoto said such developments could affect demand for gig workers and may require workers to seek supplementary income opportunities. "That might also impact the demand side from the consumer side. So that means they might need to supplement doing other things to create their income," she said.

Labour Reforms and Social Security in India

On wages, Miyamoto said India's labour reforms and the statutory floor wage mechanism are currently in the implementation phase and discussions are underway on how wages should be structured across regions with varying living costs. "It is not just one wage for everyone. But it is a good process that India is taking, involving workers and businesses to come up with something that everyone can agree with," she said.

She also praised India's efforts to extend social security coverage to informal workers, describing it as a "unique effort" involving both contributory and non-contributory schemes at the central and state levels. "It is very unique effort for India to cover social security for informal workers because that is not an easy way to go about," she said.

Upcoming International Labour Conference

Miyamoto further said the International Labour Conference in Geneva over the next two weeks would deliberate on issues related to the gig and platform economy, including international labour standards, definitions and worker protections, through consultations involving governments, employers and worker representatives. (ANI)

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)