Decent work for on-demand workers in the modern-day gig economy

Abstract

Radikale tegnologiese ontwikkeling die afgelope twee eeue het daartoe gelei dat verskeie bemagtigende tegnologieë die werksomgewing op wêreldskaal verander het, ongelukkig nie altyd ten goede nie. Met een van die hoogste werkloosheidsyfers ter wêreld, neem Suid-Afrika se afhanklikheid van informele werksgeleenthede toe, wat die vraag laat ontstaan hoe om ordentlike werk in die moderne werksomgewing te verseker. Dit word selfs meer kommerwekkend, omdat miljoene werklose mense die arbeidsmark probeer betree. Dit is veral waar vir werklose jongmense in Suid-Afrika wat geskik is vir hierdie nuwe manier van werk as gevolg van tegnologiese vooruitgang, die hoër voorkoms van kompleksiteite wat met die gig-ekonomie (ook bekend as vryskut-ekonomie) geassosieer word, en die vaardighede wat vir werk benodig word. Hoewel die voordele van die aanvaarding van die tegnologiese veranderinge in die werkplek duidelik is, ontwrig sommige tegnologieë steeds die tradisionele indiensnemingsmodel in so ’n mate dat baie uitgesluit word van arbeids- en maatskaplike beskerming. Een van die opkomende sektore wat deur die tegnologiese veranderinge meegebring word, veral die gebruik van mobiele toepassings, is die gig-ekonomie. Die gig-ekonomie is ’n ekonomie wat die uitruil van arbeid vir betaling tussen maatskappye of individue via ’n digitale platform behels. Die konsep gig-ekonomie word uitruilbaar gebruik met ander soorte ekonomieë wat verband hou met werk op platforms. Dit sluit ekonomieë in soos digitale ekonomie, samewerkende ekonomie, gedeelde ekonomie, platform-ekonomie en op-aanvraag-ekonomie. Die gig- ekonomiese model neig meer na opkomende ekonomiese aktiwiteite, gekoppel aan die platform-ekonomie, wat in twee vorme van platformwerk, groepwerk en op-aanvraag-werk verdeel word. Boonop word platformwerk gekenmerk deur onreëlmatige werkreëlings, bykomende koste vir werkers wat die diens lewer, werk wat betaal word vir take wat voltooi is, en toeganklikheid van werk wat deur verskeie platforms gefasiliteer word. Navorsing dui daarop dat nie-standaard vorme van werk steeds in die gig-ekonomie voorkom en dat die klassifikasie van platformwerkers as onafhanklike kontrakteurs ’n groot bekommernis bly. Internasionale perspektiewe en navorsing wat gedoen word oor op-aanvraag-werk in buitelandse jurisdiksies is instrumenteel om beste praktyke te vind vir die voorspraak van billike op-aanvraag-werk. Hoewel die Internasionale Arbeidsorganisasie nog nie ’n ooreenkoms bereik het oor ’n universele benadering tot die regulering van werk op aanvraag nie, is progressiewe stappe gedoen om ordentlike werk te kry en om basiese arbeid en maatskaplike beskerming uit te brei vir diegene wat in die gig-ekonomie werk. ’n Oplossing vir die universele regulering van die hedendaagse gig-ekonomie en werk-op-aanvraag bly egter ontwykend. In die afwesigheid daarvan, word bevind dat werkers op aanvraag kwesbaar is ten opsigte van basiese diensvoorwaardes, met min tot geen beheer oor eensydige veranderinge aan die kontraktuele bepalings wat hul verhouding reguleer nie. Werkers op aanvraag geniet ook nie dieselfde beskerming op die vlak van beide individuele en kollektiewe arbeidsregte nie; daarom ervaar hulle onbillike deaktivering, diskriminasie deur beide kliënte en die platform, en swak kollektiewe bedingingsmag. As dit in ag geneem word, moet die vraag gevra word of Suid-Afrika voldoende opstaan vir billike werk op aanvraag. Die regte van werkers-op-aanvraag regverdig dringende regulatoriese ingryping wat die vorm kan aanneem van proaktiewe stappe van ’n platformmaatskappy in die vorm van beleidsoorwegings van die platformmaatskappy. ’n Werkbare oplossing vir die ordentlike werktekort in die op-aanvraag-sektor kan dus deur óf die wetgewer by wyse van wetlike hervorming, óf deur die platformmaatskappy deur middel van beleidsmaatreëls en/of hersiene bepalings en voorwaardes voorgestel word. Sleutelwoorde: Vierde Industriële Revolusie, 4IR, toekoms van werk, gig-ekonomie, werk op aanvraag, billike werk, billike betaling, billike werkure, multi-belanghebbende betrokkenheid, billike verteenwoordiging, klassifikasie van arbeid, platformwerk

Radical technological development during the past two centuries has led to various enabling technologies changing the world of work on a global scale and, unfortunately, not always for the better. With one of the highest unemployment rates in the world, South Africa's reliance on informal forms of work is increasing, raising the question of how to ensure decent work in the modern world of work. This becomes even more troubling, seeing that millions of unemployed people are trying to enter the labour market. This is especially true for unemployed youth in South Africa, who are suited for these new forms of work due to technological advancements, the rise of complexities associated with the gig economy, and the skills required by jobs. Although the benefits of embracing the technological changes in the workplace are apparent, some technologies continue to disrupt the traditional employment model to the extent that many are excluded from labour and social protections. One of the emerging sectors brought about by the technological changes, especially the use of mobile applications, is the gig economy. The gig economy is an economy that involves the exchange of labour for payment between companies or individuals via a digital platform. The concept 'gig economy' is used interchangeably with other types of economies that are linked to platform work. This includes economies such as the digital economy, collaborative economy, sharing economy, platform economy, and on-demand economy. The gig economic model leans more towards emerging economic activities coupled with the platform economy, which is divided into two forms of platform work, crowdwork and on-demand work. In addition, platform work is characterised by irregular work arrangements, additional costs on workers providing the service, work that is paid for tasks completed, and accessibility of work facilitated by various platforms.

Research suggests that non-standard forms of work continue to feature in the gig economy, and that classification of platform workers as independent contractors remains a major concern. International perspectives and research conducted on on-demand work in foreign jurisdictions is instrumental to finding best practices for advocating decent on-demand work. Although the ILO has yet to reach an agreement on a universal approach to regulating on-demand work, it has taken progressive steps to achieve decent work for, and extend basic labour and social protection to, those working in the gig economy. However, a solution for the universal regulation of the modern-day gig economy and on-demand work remains elusive. In the absence of such, it is found that on-demand workers are rendered vulnerable in respect of basic conditions of employment, having little to no control over unilateral changes to the contractual terms that regulate their relationship. On-demand workers also lack protection at the level of both individual and collective labour rights; therefore, they experience unfair deactivation, discrimination by both clients and the platform, and poor collective bargaining power. Taking this into account, the question needs to be asked if South Africa sufficiently advocates for decent on-demand work. The rights of on-demand workers warrant urgent regulatory intervention that could take the form of proactive steps from a platform company in the form of policy considerations from the platform company. A workable solution to the decent work deficit in the on-demand sector can therefore be proposed by either the legislator by way of legal reform, or by the platform company by means of policy measures and/or revised terms and conditions.

𝘊𝘰𝘯𝘵...

𝗥𝗘𝗙𝗘𝗥 𝗧𝗢 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗔𝗧𝗧𝗔𝗖𝗛𝗘𝗗 𝗗𝗢𝗖𝗨𝗠𝗘𝗡𝗧 𝗙𝗢𝗥 𝗔 𝗙𝗨𝗟𝗟 𝗦𝗨𝗠𝗠𝗔𝗥𝗬! ___________________________________________________________________

Ukusabalala ngesivinini kobuchwepheshe kumakhulunyaka amabili adlule kuholele ekuveleni kwezinhlobo eziningi zobuchwepheshe eziguqule indlela yokusebenza ezinkampanini emhlabeni. Ngebhadi, ubuchwepheshe abulethanga ubuhle kuphela. Njengelinye elinezinga eliphezulu lenswelangqasho emhlabeni, izwe laseNingizimu Afrikha liya ngokuya lithembela emisebenzini engenalo uzinzo. Lokhu kudala umbuzo othi kungaqinisekiswa kanjani kuthi abantu bathole imisebenzi enikeza isithunzi kulo mhlaba wesimanje. Kukhathaza kakhulu emoyeni ukubona ukuthi abantu abaningi abangaqashiwe bazama ukuthola imisebenzi. Lokhu kuyinto ekhona ngempela entsheni yaseNingizimu Afrikha eyifanele le misebenzi emisha ngenxa yokuthuthuka kwezobuchwepheshe, ukwenyuka kwezinkinga eziphathelene nomnotho wamagigi, kubala namakhono adingekayo emakethe yemisebenzi. Nakuba ubuhle bokwamukela izinguquko zobuchwepheshe emsebenzini bucace bha, obunye ubuchwepheshe buyaqhubeka nokuphazamisa indlela evamile yokuqasha kangangoba abantu abaningi bakhishelwa ngaphandle kwezomsebenzi nakwezokuvikeleka enhlalweni. Enye yemikhakha asafufusayo edalwe izinguquko zobuchwepheshe, ikakhulu ukusetshenziswa kwamathuluzi obuchwepheshe ahambayo, umnotho wegigi. Umnotho wegigi ungumnotho lapho kuba khona ukushintshisana phakathi kwezinkampani noma kwabantu ngemisebenzi yabo ngenhloso yokwakha inzuzo kusetshenziswa izinkundla zobuchwepheshe. Umqondo womnotho wegigi usetshenziswa ngokushintshana nezinye izinhlobo zomnotho ezixhumaniswe nenkundla yemisebenzi. Lokhu kubandakanya izinhlaka zomnotho ezinjengomnotho wedijithali, umnotho wobumbano, umnotho wokwabelana, umnotho wezinkundla, kanye nomnotho wokuhlinzeka ngokwesidingo. Imodeli yomnotho wegigi incike kakhulu emisebenzini yeminotho, kuhambisana nenkundlamnotho, yona ehlukaniswe izinhlobo ezimbili zenkundlamsebenzi, umsebenzi wequlu kanye nomsebenzi ongokwesidingo. Ukwengeza, umsebenzi wenkundla unalezi zimpawu: izinhlelo zokusebenza ezingaqondakali, izindleko ezengeziwe ezimayelana nabasebenzi abahlinzeka ngezidingo, umsebenzi okhokhelwa ngokwemisebenzi esiqediwe, kanye nokufinyeleleka komsebenzi okwenziwa izinkundla ezihlukahlukene. Ucwaningo luthi izinhlobo zomsebenzi ongavamile ziyaqhubeka ukuba yingxenye yomnotho wegigi, nanokuthi ukuhlonzwa kwabasebenzi benkundla njengabasebenzi abazimele geqe kusalokhu kuyinkinga enkulu. Imibono yamazwe nocwaningo olwenziwa mayelana nomsebenzi wokuhlinzeka ngokwezidingo ezishayamthethweni zamazwe angaphandle kusemgangathweni wokuthola izenzo ezihamba phambili ekusekeleni umsebenzi ongokwesidingo ngendlela ehloniphekile. Nakuba i-ILO (International Labour Organisation) kusafanele ifike esivumelwaneni esimayelana nendlela evamile engasetshenziswa ukulawula umsebenzi ohlinzekwa ngokwesidingo, kodwa isizithathile izinyathelo eziya phambili ngenhloso yokuzuza ukusebenza okunika isithunzi nokuvikeleka ngokwenhlalo kulabo abasebenza emnothweni wegigi. Nokho, isixazululo solawulo olufanayo lomnotho wesimanje wegigi kanye nomsebenzi ohlinzekwa ngokwesidingo kusalokhu kuyinto engabambeki. Ngenkathi singakatholakali isisombululo kuyatholakala ukuthi abasebenzi abasebenza ngokwesidingo basengcupheni ezintweni ezimayelana nezimo zokusebenza eziyisisekelo, ngenxa yokuthi bona bathathelwa izinqumo ngezinguquko ezithinta izinkontileka zokuqashwa kwabo. Ngamanye amazwi abanawo amandla okulawula izinguquko zezinkontileka zabo kulokho kuhlobana kwabo ngokomsebenzi. Abasebenzi abaqashwe ngokwesidingo sangaleso sikhathi babuye bengavikeleki ngokwamalungelo abo ngabodwana noma ngokuhlanganyela. Ngalesi sizathu, babhekana nezimo ezingenabulungiswa ezifana nokukhishwa kwabo ezinhleni zabasebenzi, ukukhishwa kwabo inyumbazane ngamakhasimende noma izinkundla zokusebenza, kanye nokungabi namandla okuba yingxenye yezingxoxo zokuphuculwa kwezimo zokusebenza. Ngokubheka lesi simo, umbuzo odinga ukubuzwa ukuthi ngabe iNingizimu Afrikha iyisekela ngokwenele yini impucuzeko efanele abasebenzi abaqashwa ngokwesidingo sangaleso sikhathi.

Ntshetsopele e se matla ya thekenoloji nakong ya dingwaha tse pedi tse fetileng e bakile hore thekenoloji e dumelle diphetoho tsa lefatshe ho sebetsa ka lefatshe ka sekala sa lefatshe ka kakaretso, leha ka bomadimabe e se ka tsela e ntlafatsang. E le ka ho phahameng lefatshe ka bophara, boitjaro ba Afrika Borwa mesebetsing ya kgiro bo bonahala bo phahama. Hona ho nyolla potso ya hore na ho tla etswa jwang ho nnetefatsa boleng ba mosebetsi lefatsheng la mosebetsi mehleng ena. Sena se tlisa pherekano, ha motho a bona dimiliyone tsa batho ba hlokang mosebetsi ba ikakgela ka setotswana ka hara bosebetsi ba dimmaraka. Sena efela e le nnete ha ho tadingwa batho ba hlokang mosebetsi mona Afrika Borwa; ba lokelwang ke mesebetsi e metjha ka lebaka la tswelopele ya thekenoloji, le ho phahama ha mathata a amahanywang le moruo wa mesebetsi ya nakwana le ditsebo tse hlokwang mosebetsing. Leha e le mona melemo ya ho kenyelletsa diphetoho tsa thekenoloji dibakeng tsa mosebetsi e bonahala, dithekenoloji tse ding di tswelapele ho senya mokgwa wa kgale wa kgiro ho isa moo batho ba bangata ba seng ba bile ba sa fumane mosebetsi le tshireletso ya setjhaba. E nngwe ya dikgaello tse tliswang ke diphetoho tse bakwang ke thekenoloji, haholoholo ka disebediswa tsa thekenoloji e tsamayang, ke mesebetsi ya dikonteraka tsa nakwana, ke moruo o kenyelletsang phapanyetsano ya basebetsi bakeng sa ho lefa dibakeng tsa dikhamphani, esita le motho ka mong ka tshebediso ya boemo ba dijithale. Mohopolo wa basebetsi ba dikonteraka tsa nakwana o sebediswa ka tsela e tshwanang le mehopolo e meng ya moruo e hokahanywang le maemo a mosebetsi. Sena se kenyelletsa meruo jwalo ka dijithale ya moruo, kopanelo ya moruo, karolelano ya moruo, boemo ba moruo le tlhokeho ya moruo, boemo ba dikonteraka tsa nakwana bo itshetlehile haholo ka diketsahalo tsa moruo o hlahang botjha tse kopolletsweng le boemo ba moruo o arotsweng ka mefuta e mmedi ya boemo ba mosebetsi bo hlokehang ka nako le nako. Ho feta moo, maemo a mosebetsi a sa tlwaelehang, ditjeo tse phahameng tsa basebetsi ba fanang ka ditshebeletso, moputso o ajwang ha mosebetsi o phethetswe, mosebetsi o fihlelwang ka maemo a fapaneng. Diphuputso di sisinya hore mesebetsi e se nang boleng e tswele pele ho etswa ka dikonteraka tsa mesebetsi ya nakwana, mme karolo ka dithala tsa basebetsi ba ikemetseng ba dikonteraka e sala e baka ngongoreho e kgolo. Leihlo la matjhaba le diphuputso tse entsweng ka ho batla mosebetsi dinaheng tse ka ntle e bohlokwa ho fumana mawala a buellang mosebetsi wa nako e telele, o hlomphehang. Leha e le hore ILO e ntse e lokela ho fihlela mokgwa wa tumello le o amohelehang lefatshe ka bophara ho laola mesebetsi ya nako e telele mme e se e nkile mehato e tswelang pele ho fihlela mesebetsi e hlomphehang sebakeng sa ho eketsa bosebeletsi ba mantlha. Leha ho le jwalo, tharollo ya taolo ya bokahohle ya moruo ka basebetsi ba dikonteraka tsa nakwana le tlhokomelo ya mosebetsi wa nakwana le tlhokomelo ya mosebetsi wa nako le nako, e se e sa tsebahale. Ho ba siyo ha seo, ho fumaneha hore basebetsi ba mosebetsi wa nako le nako ba tlokotsing mabapi le ditlhoko tsa motheo tsa mosebetsi, ba ba le se fokolang ho ya ho bosiyo ba taolo hodima diphetoho lehlakoreng le leng ho dipehelo tsa dikonteraka tse laolang kamano ya bona. Basebetsi ba nako le nako ba haellwa ke tshireletso boemong ba bonngwe le boemong ba ditokelo tsa basebetsi ba ikopantseng; ha ho le jwalo, ba tobana le ho lelekwa ka ntle ho toka; kgethollo e etswang ke basebeletswa le boemo ba tshebetso, le boikopanyo bo fokolang ba ho batla matla a puseletso. Ha re nkela sena hloohong, potso e lokelang ho botswa ke hore na Afrika Borwa na e buella ka tsela e lekaneng bosebeletsi bo hlomphehang ba mosebetsi wa nako le nako. Ditokelo tsa mosebetsi wa nako le nako wa basebetsi ba taolo ya molao ya bokenadipakeng bo neng bo ka nka sebopeho sa mehato e potlakang ho maemo a dikhamphani ka sebopeho sa maano ho tloha boemong ba khamphani. Tharollo e ka sebetsang kgaellong ya mesebetsi e hlomphehang e le mesebetsi ya nako le nako, e ka ba ka ho hlahisa ebang ke ka molao, ka mokgwa wa tokiso ya molao, kapa ka boemo ba khamphani ka mokgwa wa mehato ya maano kapa ka dipehelo tse lokisitsweng botjha.