The European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) is calling for a directive on digital platform work, in a resolution adopted on Thursday 9 September and published on Friday 10 September.
In their resolution, the trade unions insist on the need to present an ambitious directive based on Article 153(2) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the EU. They are also strongly opposed to the creation of a third category differentiating between workers and the self-employed.
The directive should also cover atypical workers, they say. Platform companies should be subject to the same rules as other companies in a cross-border situation. Above all, they want a presumption of an employment relationship with a reversal of the burden of proof from the worker to the employer.
In general, they call on the EU to encourage Member States and social partners to build up social dialogue for platform workers, in particular to regulate the algorithms that govern personnel management.
The second phase of the consultation on the text ends on 15 September. The European Commission is expected to present an initiative at the end of the year.
Key national judgements. On Monday 13 September, trade unions welcomed a third trade union victory against the company Uber in the Amsterdam Court. The latter, the unions report, has found that the legal relationship between the workers and the transport service platform has all the characteristics of an employment contract. Similar judgements have recently been handed down in Belgium and in the UK.
Vote in European Parliament plenary. On Wednesday 15 September, the European Parliament will vote on the report by Sylvie Brunet (Renew Europe, France) (see EUROPE 12788/7), which calls on the European Commission to bring forward legislation in this area (see EUROPE 12763/28).
To consult the resolution: https://bit.ly/3tB97KZ (Original version in French by Pascal Hansens)