In March, we exposed the situation and challenges of the decent work deficits of platform workers: https://www.wsm.be/en/news/rights-and-international-protection-for-digital-platform-workers.html
This Convention, or in other words, this binding text that will rebalance the power relationship between digital labor platforms and the millions of workers who operate on them, will address the rights deficits for these workers.
They are subject to the torments of algorithms, unjustified deactivation, fluctuating remuneration, access restrictions, deactivations, or even deletions of accounts without any justification or human contact! These abusive practices of platforms, resulting from opaque algorithmic systems, will therefore no longer go unpunished.
Some of the arguments presented were extremely hard for the workers' group to hear. Even though platforms claim to defend the interests of independent workers, these platforms have, in fact, defended the commercial interests of these platforms much more. This has gone so far as to question the fact that, given that they operate via algorithmic automated decision-making system technology, they should not be subject to full respect for fundamental principles and rights at work!
Yet many women workers, in particular, are penalized by platform systems when they refuse to perform work that directly threatens their physical integrity. Requiring platforms to take measures to protect them in the event of violence and harassment or attacks on their lives is not extraordinary, it is human dignity. These workers should not have to choose between losing their pay or their lives!
Thanks to this Convention, these acts will no longer go unpunished. The right to defend themselves in court has also been secured, in the territory where they work, which is particularly important given the work carried out online and without legal representation of the platform in the worker's country.
This Convention will therefore be able to protect these millions of workers against practices that are harmful to their health and safety, which are often jeopardized by the pressure inherent in these automated work organization systems.
Again, employers have assured that digital labor platforms promote the formalization of jobs. There are indeed opportunities for formalization through financial inclusion, traceability of monetary transactions, taxation of local subsidiaries, standardization, and compliance in informal services. However, according to a recent study by a Belgian University KUL (HIVA, 2026), digital labor platforms have failed to use these new formalization channels to advance the situation, and to make social protection floors a reality for these workers.
We are therefore pleased that the Convention provides an obligation to take appropriate steps towards formalization, including through the registration of the self-employed. However, we deplore the fact that this does not include clearly enough all the elements to make this formalization effective, in particular the recognition of the employment relationship, the transparency of algorithms, non-discrimination, the right to representation and above all appropriate social protection.
Find the complete HIVA study and our brochure with key recommendations
https://www.wsm.be/files/files/publicaties/eng/WSM_Insp-r_-Leaflet05_2026_EN.pdf
https://www.wsm.be/files/files/publicaties/eng/Informalisation-in-Digital-Labour-Platforms-HIVA.pdf
Access to social security was obviously one of our essential battles with the INSP!R network and allied organizations. Certain aspects have been sealed in this Convention for workers working under the status of employee or who must be requalified as such in view of their conditions of subordination to employment. However, the majority of workers operate as self-employed and often by default. For this broad range of workers and those who do not fit into any box, the text of the Convention is unfortunately not clear enough to ensure full and effective social protection.
The coming years will be decisive because although the Convention has been created, it will be up to us, as social and trade union movements, to ensure that it is ratified by the States and effectively applied!
In addition, the ILO also undertook to adopt a recommendation to this Convention in order to address the elements of effectiveness for implementation. Thus, in the years to come, we will remain mobilized with these workers so that this recommendation addresses their realities more precisely in this new reorganization of work, which is currently "not-standard", but is gradually becoming the norm. It is only through collective organization that we can ensure decent work for all!
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