- Date
- 1 April 2022
- Country
-
France
-
Geographical scope
- National
- Type
-
Description
On 28 September 2021, the French National Assembly ratified a government decree on collective representation for platform workers. This foresees that as of 2022, drivers and couriers working for platforms can hold trade union elections. Furthermore, it includes the establishment of the Autorité des relations sociales des plateformes d’emploi (ARPE), an authority for regulating social relations on employment platforms. The authority is responsible for holding the union elections and is financed by a tax paid by the platforms. Overall, this regulatory change is expected to establish the ‘conditions for a structured and organised social dialogue’ and therefore to safeguard the working conditions and rights of platform workers.
According to the decree, social dialogue for platform workers is strengthened without necessarily changing their employment status. This aspect has been subject to criticism in France as it is blamed for institutionalising the so-called ‘uberisation’ of work through the institutionalisation of a ‘third status’ of employment. As an alternative, others have argued that efforts should be made to recognise workers as employees and to shift the burden of proof for the employment status from workers to platforms.
- Keywords
-
representation, industrial relations, social dialogue
- Actors
-
Government
Sources