What an Australian union teaches us about regulating platform work

How can binding agreements be made with platforms regarding minimum standards for platform workers? This was the central question of a recent WageIndicator webinar, in which Alex Veen, a researcher at the University of Sydney, and Jack Boutros, from the Transport Workers' Union (TWU) in Australia, shared their experiences. Their story offers an interesting alternative perspective. Not because Australia has found the answer — nobody has got that far yet — but because, partly due to the organisation of the labour market, a fundamentally different choice has been made there.

For many years, the question of whether platform workers are employees or self-employed was debated, and it was primarily left to the industrial tribunal – the Fair Work Commission – and the courts to determine the appropriateness of classifications. Ultimately, Australia opted for a more pragmatic approach: what minimum standards are needed to ensure the sector functions sustainably and safely? This may sound like a subtle difference, but it has major consequences.

You can also find the highlights of this episode in this blog post.