| Abstract [eng] |
This chapter explores the nature and diversity of digital platform work, examining its conceptual foundations, emergence, and evolution across global and post-Soviet contexts. It identifies the main drivers of platform work, including technological advancement, labour market flexibility, and economic insecurity, highlighting both the appeal and the risks associated with this employment model. The chapter presents five distinct categories of platform work, ranging from highly skilled developers to gig workers and micro-taskers, and analyses their working conditions, income levels, and challenges. A central focus is placed on the employment status of platform workers, particularly the widespread classification as self-employed contractors, which limits access to social protections and legal entitlements. The chapter analyses typical contractual provisions used by major platforms and examines the evolving role of trade unions in defending platform workers’ rights. It further reviews new forms of collective organisation such as cooperatives, guilds, and quasi-unions. Finally, the chapter offers a comparative insight into the specific conditions of platform work in post-Soviet economies, where informal labour markets, weak legal enforcement, and socio-economic instability create both opportunities and vulnerabilities. It concludes that the fragmented legal and social landscape calls for adaptive and inclusive regulatory strategies. |
