On Wednesday 15 September, MEPs voted by a large majority (524 votes to 39 with 124 abstentions) in favour of a report by Sylvie Brunet (Renew Europe, France), which calls for a directive to better protect workers on digital platforms.
There are no changes to the report voted in the European Parliament Committee on Employment and Social Affairs (see EUROPE 12763/28). In a debate on Monday 13 September, the rapporteur outlined the MEPs main demands.
They call for enhanced access to social protection, regardless of the status of workers, particularly in the event of an accident or occupational disease. MEPs rejected the idea of creating a third status between self-employed and employee.
The MEPs propose better communication of essential information on working conditions as well as on the method of calculating remuneration and task allocation. In addition, workers should have a right of appeal in the event of account suspension.
MEPs are also calling for platform workers, even self-employed ones, to be able to engage in collective bargaining.
They also want to ensure greater legal certainty for both workers and platforms. Thus, a “rebuttable presumption” of an employment relationship can be applied, without automatically leading to the recognition of platform workers as employees.
If a worker disputes his or her employment status, there is a reversal of the burden of proof: it is up to the employer to prove that there is no employment relationship with the worker. The supervision of personnel management algorithms is also called for. Algorithmic management must be contestable by workers.
During Monday’s exchange, the Commissioner for Jobs and Social Rights, Nicolas Schmit, welcomed the report, and in particular the reversal of the burden of proof.
The ECR and ID groups abstained overwhelmingly, not wanting a European initiative on the issue. Some Scandinavian and German members of the EPP and also of Renew Europe abstained as well because of what they saw as a somewhat too strong social dimension.
The second phase of the consultation of the social partners ended on Wednesday 15 September. The European Commission is expected to present an initiative on 8 December. (Original version in French by Pascal Hansens)