This document discusses the need for an atlas to map platform-based work globally. It begins by outlining many questions that remain unanswered about key aspects of this work, such as major platforms, activities, numbers of workers, processes, issues, earnings and legal classifications. Different stakeholders who would benefit from answers are identified as workers, clients, organizations, policymakers and platforms. A list of recommended data requirements is then provided covering platform characteristics, work details, conditions, communication tools and legal regimes. It stresses a coordinated international effort is required to develop this important resource.

1. Toward an Atlas of
Platform-Based Work
Photo: Kevin McShane

2. Photo: Kevin McShane
Content of this talk
Questions we don’t have answers to
Who needs the answers?
Toward a list of “data” requirements
A coordinated effort is needed
Next step

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Questions we don’t have
answers to

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Questions we don’t have
answers to
•What are the major labor platforms?

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Questions we don’t have
answers to
•What are the major labor platforms?
•Which platforms are important in different
countries?

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Questions we don’t have
answers to
•What are the major labor platforms?
•Which platforms are important in different
countries?
•On the different platforms:

7. Photo: Kevin McShane
Questions we don’t have
answers to
•What are the major labor platforms?
•Which platforms are important in different
countries?
•On the different platforms:
•What work is done?

8. Photo: Kevin McShane
Questions we don’t have
answers to
•What are the major labor platforms?
•Which platforms are important in different
countries?
•On the different platforms:
•What work is done?
•How many workers and clients are active?

9. Photo: Kevin McShane
Questions we don’t have
answers to
•What are the major labor platforms?
•Which platforms are important in different
countries?
•On the different platforms:
•What work is done?
•How many workers and clients are active?
•What are the work processes?

10. Photo: Kevin McShane
Questions we don’t have
answers to
•What are the major labor platforms?
•Which platforms are important in different
countries?
•On the different platforms:
•What work is done?
•How many workers and clients are active?
•What are the work processes?
•What issues face workers and clients?

11. Photo: Kevin McShane
Questions we don’t have
answers to
•What are the major labor platforms?
•Which platforms are important in different
countries?
•On the different platforms:
•What work is done?
•How many workers and clients are active?
•What are the work processes?
•What issues face workers and clients?
•How much do workers earn?

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Inc. Magazine, Feb. 2015

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Questions we don’t have
answers to
•Are workers “really” self-employed?

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Questions we don’t have
answers to
•Are workers “really” self-employed?
•If not, do they want employee status?

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Questions we don’t have
answers to
•Are workers “really” self-employed?
•If not, do they want employee status?
•How does international competition play out
over platforms?

17. Photo: Kevin McShane
Questions we don’t have
answers to
•Are workers “really” self-employed?
•If not, do they want employee status?
•How does international competition play out
over platforms?
•To what extent do crowd workers take work
from employees, and to what extent are they
doing new work?

18. Photo: Kevin McShane

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Questions we don’t have
answers to
•Are workers “really” self-employed?
•If not, do they want employee status?
•How does international competition play out
over platforms?
•To what extent do crowd workers take work
from employees, and to what extent are they
doing new work?
•What lawsuits/policy changes are underway?

21. Photo: Kevin McShane
Questions we don’t have
answers to
•Are workers “really” self-employed?
•If not, do they want employee status?
•How does international competition play out
over platforms?
•To what extent do crowd workers take work
from employees, and to what extent are they
doing new work?
•What lawsuits/policy changes are underway?
•What worker initiatives are underway?

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Questions we don’t have
answers to
•To ensure that platform-based work is
“socially sustainable”:

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Questions we don’t have
answers to
•To ensure that platform-based work is
“socially sustainable”:
•What is the role for policy makers?

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Questions we don’t have
answers to
•To ensure that platform-based work is
“socially sustainable”:
•What is the role for policy makers?
•What are the research needs?

27. Photo: Kevin McShane
Questions we don’t have
answers to
•To ensure that platform-based work is
“socially sustainable”:
•What is the role for policy makers?
•What are the research needs?
•What is the role for worker organizations?

28. Photo: Kevin McShane
Questions we don’t have
answers to
•To ensure that platform-based work is
“socially sustainable”:
•What is the role for policy makers?
•What are the research needs?
•What is the role for worker organizations?
•What is the role for new entrants
(competitors)?

29. Photo: Kevin McShane
Questions we don’t have
answers to
•To ensure that platform-based work is
“socially sustainable”:
•What is the role for policy makers?
•What are the research needs?
•What is the role for worker organizations?
•What is the role for new entrants
(competitors)?
•What are “cross-cutting” projects (e.g.,
cross-platform reputation)?

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Who needs the answers?

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Who needs the answers?
•Workers

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Who needs the answers?
•Workers
•Clients

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Who needs the answers?
•Workers
•Clients
•Worker organizations

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Who needs the answers?
•Workers
•Clients
•Worker organizations
•Policy makers

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Who needs the answers?
•Workers
•Clients
•Worker organizations
•Policy makers
•Platform operators

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“Data” requirements

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“Data” requirements
•Platforms
•Kind of work
•Registered and “active” clients and
workers by country
•Transaction volume by country
•Process
•e.g., microtask, freelance, contest-based
•Evaluation and quality control
•Rating, screening, and blocking of workers

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Janine Berg, International Labour Office. 2016. Income security in the on-demand economy. Comparative Labor Law and Policy Journal 37.

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“Data” requirements
•Platforms (cont.)
•Pay
•Worker relation to earnings
•Worker communication and activities
•Forums
•Organizing via social media, etc.
•Software tools
•Guides for workers and clients
•Pressure on institutions (e.g., universities)

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“Data” requirements
•Countries / legal regimes
•Employment status tests
•Competition law (esp. re worker organizing)
•Requirements on platforms
•Responses to grievances from clients and
workers
•Administrative requirements (e.g.,
receiving mail)
•Data requirements

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“Data” requirements
•Countries / legal regimes
•Lawsuits
•Policy changes / debates
•Cross-platform worker organizing

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A coordinated effort is
needed

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What now?

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M. Six Silberman
Crowdsourcing Project
Division for Gender, Diversity,
and Equality
IG Metall Vorstand / Headquarters
Frankfurt am Main, Germany
michael.silberman@igmetall.de
ETUC / ETUI Conference:
Shaping the New World of Work
Brussels, Belgium
27. - 29. June 2016
Panel 17: Working Conditions of Platform Workers
29. June 2016
Toward an Atlas of
Platform-Based Work