Service Union United (PAM)

Platform economy database

Database of initiatives and court cases in the EU

Eurofound’s platform economy database provides information on 386 initiatives and court cases that exist or have been implemented in relation to activities in the platform economy. The database was last updated in February 2024 and provides metadata for each entry, such as geographical scope, year, type of initiative, actors involved, sector and companies concerned. Initiatives include legal instruments such as legislative changes or court decisions, as well as voluntary interventions undertaken by different stakeholders to address issues around platform work.

Topic: Platform work Platform economy repository

The database currently contains 386 entries and was last updated in February 2024.

Country

Typology

Sector

Platform

Keyword

Type

Date

1 February 2021

Active

Country

Finland

Geographical scope

National

Type

Type

Organising and representing workers
Voluntary

Description

Service Union United (PAM) is a Finnish trade union representing workers in private services sectors, founded in 2000. It is a member of two global umbrella organisations for services sector unions, UNI Global Union (UNI)and International Union of Food, Agricultural, Hotel, Restaurant, Catering, Tobacco and Allied Workers' Associations (IUF). PAM has been active in negotiating collective agreements for services sectors and in preserving the rights of members at workplace, including platform workers. For example, PAM offers trainings to the members of Justice4Couriers, a campaign group of couriers seeking to improve their working conditions.

PAM has also engaged in various activities at both EU and international level such as supporting workers’ rights to form and join unions in Estonia, Russia, Bosnia, Asia, Latin America and Africa.

In March 2018, Wolt changed their payment model in Finland by cutting the guaranteed hourly pay of their riders from at least €12 to €10 and cutting the weekday pay from €10 to €8. PAM was informed of this issue and tried to open channels to discuss the working conditions and situation of Wolt’s couriers, among others. In July 2021, PAM filed a lawsuit against Wolt asking the District Court of Helsinki to provide a ruling on the case of a courier's employment status.

Additional metadata

Keywords: collective bargaining
Actors: Employee organisation
Sector: No specific sector focus
Platforms: Wolt

Sources

Platform (Wolt) sued by Service Union United (PAM)

In July 2021, the Finnish trade union Service Union United (PAM) filed a lawsuit against the Finnish food delivery platform Wolt asking the District Court of Helsinki to provide a …
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Justice4Couriers

Justice for Couriers is a campaign by couriers working for Foodora together with members of Vapaa Syndikaatti (‘free trade union’) and Vastavoima (an association of activists in defence of workers’ …
- View

Eurofound publications on the platform economy

Regulating platform work in Europe: A work in progress

The platform economy is one of those moving targets, which, despite receiving increasing media and policy attention, has proven difficult to regulate. Given the heterogeneity of employment relationships, business models, types of platform work and cross-border issues, this is not surprising.
- Date 27 September 2022
The digital age: Implications of automation, digitisation and platforms for work and employment

Technological change is accelerating as the capacity of electronic devices to digitally store, process and communicate information expands. Digitalisation is transforming the EU economy and labour markets: nearly one-third of EU workplaces are categorised as highly digitalised. What are the implications of the digital revolution for employment and work?
- Date 15 December 2021
Initiatives to improve conditions for platform workers: Aims, methods, strengths and weaknesses

The rapid rise of the platform economy has led to a marked transformation of European labour markets, and existing regulatory frameworks and voluntary initiatives have yet to catch up. While platform work offers opportunities for workers and employers and potentially contributes to innovation, economic growth and competitiveness in the EU, it has been criticised from the beginning because of the poor employment and working conditions often experienced by workers.
- Date 2 December 2021
Charting a positive path for platform workers

While 2020 may come to be seen as the year platform work gathered pace and started to go mainstream – thanks in large part to COVID-19 containment measures sparking an increase in food and grocery delivery – 2021 could be the year that regulation of platform work is set in motion.
- Date 24 February 2021