Inclusive pathways to support collective action and advocacy of workers in the digital economy

Why is unionization and collective action important for gig and platform workers?

ILO News (Naivasha) – From 3 to 5 December 2024, ILO PROSPECTS convened a residential peer-learning workshop on fostering inclusive pathways to gig and platform workers organizing towards strengthened advocacy efforts and amplified collective action for wage protection, fair payments and decent work standards. The event brought together 44 participants, including online and location-based platform workers, social partners, government ministries, forcibly displaced persons, development organizations and civil society actors.

“The decentralized nature of gig and platform work, with workers spread across various locations, has added complexity in bargaining collectively for fair wages, predictable working conditions and labour and social protections. This has driven workers worldwide to explore innovative approaches beyond traditional unionizing efforts,” explained Caroline Njuki, Chief Technical Advisor of ILO PROSPECTS Kenya.

With these new realities in the world of work, the workshop rolled out peer-learning and advocacy tools designed to deepen understanding of the platform economy, grounded in workers’ lived experiences and the ongoing regulatory dialogue in Kenya.

In her opening remarks, Mary Kerema, Secretary for Information and Communication Technology (ICT), E-Government and the Digital Economy at the Ministry of Information, Communications and Digital Economy, shared ongoing efforts to develop a comprehensive policy on digital jobs, in collaboration with the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection. She expounded, “This dedicated policy will respond to policy gaps identified through the ILO-facilitated Community of Practice on Digital Jobs and Skills. This will be a crucial step towards creating a fair and inclusive environment for digital workers in the country.”

How can policy and regulatory dialogue advance decent work in the digital economy?

Strengthening legal and regulatory frameworks

One of the most prominent discussions was on the employment status of platform workers and its implications on access to fundamental principles and rights at work. Participants underscored the need for legal clarity on classifying platform workers as employees or self-employed.

Kephas Odhiambo, Assistant Labour Commissioner at the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection, affirmed, “National labour laws indeed need to adapt to the new dynamics of the digital economy, including remote work, freelancing and platform work.” He added, “We are working to bridge gaps in defining roles and responsibilities on matters related to legal classification, social security, remuneration, working time and dispute resolution.”

Thomas Achok, Regional Coordinator at the Federation of Kenya Employers (FKE), also emphasized the importance of regulating digital labour platforms to ensure a level playing field for both employers and workers. “The workshop has been instrumental as we prepare for the standard-setting discussions on decent work in the platform economy at the 2025 International Labour Conference,” he remarked.

Facilitating the inclusion of underserved groups

A salient cross-cutting topic during the three-day workshop was the opportunities and challenges presented by platform work to marginalized groups. “There was consensus among participants that while the digital economy can lower entry barriers for groups often excluded from traditional labour markets, they each also face unique challenges requiring tailored solutions,” shared Beatrice Cinco, representing the ILO PROSPECTS Opportunity Fund project “Promotion, inclusion and protection of refugees and host communities in the gig economy.”

Barriers identified include gender and cultural norms limiting women’s full participation in education and training; lengthy documentation procedures preventing refugees from joining online platforms or opening bank accounts; and unaffordable assistive technologies and web interfaces hindering the engagement of persons with disabilities.

How can gig and platform workers be empowered to organize and pursue collective action and advocacy?

Innovating pathways to change

During the event, the Central Organization of Trade Unions (COTU-K) also announced the recent creation and affiliation of the Kenya Union of Gig Workers (KUGWO), marking significant progress in collective representation for this growing workforce. “Jobs in the digital economy have introduced issues that are relatively new to traditional trade unions, such as electronic data privacy, algorithmic management and cross-border governance of platform work,” noted Ellam Brian, KUGWO Acting General Secretary.

Various workshop sessions showcased emerging global practices to sustain collective action, such as through platform cooperative models or the use of digital advocacy tools.

What are the main outcomes of the peer-learning workshop?

Advancing worker advocacy through action planning

By the end of the workshop, participants co-created a multistakeholder action plan aimed to advance inclusion and protection in the gig and platform economy. The plan prioritizes empowering worker organizations to advocate and bargain and raising awareness on labour standards compliance among employers.

Participant feedback on the workshop content and methodology is now being integrated into the forthcoming peer-learning materials. Due to high demand for capacity building on the topic in the region, including in refugee hosting countries, discussions for a joint activity hosted in Rwanda are also underway.

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This peer-learning workshop was done as part of the ILO PROSPECTS Opportunity Fund “Promotion, inclusion and protection of refugees and host communities in the gig economy,” funded by the Kingdom of the Netherlands.