On June 14, at the 114th annual International Labour Conference in Geneva, Switzerland, the International Labour Organization (ILO) formally adopted the Decent Work in the Platform Economy Convention. This is considered the world's first binding document establishing labor standards for people working through digital platforms such as food delivery and ride-hailing services.
The convention aims to extend labor protections to hundreds of millions of people worldwide who are currently excluded from standard protections due to being classified as independent contractors rather than formal employees—a common tactic by companies operating apps that set workers' time and location of work.
According to the text approved by ILO members, the convention applies to “all digital labor platforms” and “all platform workers, regardless of whether they are in the formal or informal economy.”
Protections include ending this misclassification while enforcing minimum wage requirements and obligations related to healthcare, sick leave, and social security contributions.
The vote showed 406 ILO members in favor, 8 against, and 36 abstentions. ILO members include governments, employers, and workers.
According to a 2023 World Bank estimate, up to 435 million people worldwide are considered gig workers through apps.
Amanda Brown, Vice President of the ILO Workers' Group—representing the interests of unions and workers globally—called the agreement a “watershed moment” for platform workers and a response to years of abuse and exploitation.
“For the first time in the history of international law, the men and women who move our cities, clean and care for our homes… will be named, recognized, and protected by a binding international standard,” Brown told delegates.
Meanwhile, the head of the International Organisation of Employers (IOE), representing about 50 million businesses worldwide, welcomed that the framework includes flexibility. “It respects national legal systems and allows countries to determine employment status according to their own established laws and criteria,” said IOE Secretary-General Roberto Suarez Santos.
Although the ILO has no direct enforcement power, members can file formal complaints leading to investigations and increased pressure on governments. Additionally, when a country ratifies an ILO convention and incorporates it into national law, individuals can sue gig economy platforms for direct compensation.
