The International Labour Organization (ILO) on June 12, 2026, adopted its first global treaty aimed at establishing binding labor standards for workers in the digital platform economy. The convention, approved by the International Labour Conference plenary in Geneva, seeks to safeguard the rights of millions globally who earn income through gig work.
Designated as ILO Convention No. 193, the new accord addresses critical gaps in protections for individuals whose employment is managed via digital platforms. Key areas covered include fair compensation, occupational safety and health, social security benefits, algorithmic oversight, and accurate worker classification. The measure passed with 406 votes in favor, 8 against, and 36 abstentions.
The treaty directly confronts the common practice of companies classifying workers as self-employed or independent contractors, even while controlling essential job aspects through automated systems. This classification often deprives workers of fundamental labor protections and shifts operational costs and risks onto them. The convention mandates governments to ensure correct worker classification, primarily based on how work is performed and compensated.
Platform work, encompassing tasks from ride-sharing and food delivery to online data processing and content moderation, is rapidly expanding worldwide. The World Bank estimates that 435 million individuals worldwide generate earnings via labor platforms. These workers frequently encounter unpredictable earnings, unsafe conditions, a lack of social security, and limited recourse when their access to work is abruptly terminated.
The convention's broad scope extends to platform workers in both the formal and informal economies, covering both in-person and online tasks. It guarantees certain protections regardless of employment status, such as freedom of association, collective bargaining rights, and the elimination of forced or child labor. Other provisions, including timely payment and clear information on earnings, are tied to employment status.
Governments must now promptly ratify and implement this convention to ensure essential protections for platform workers globally.
Sources
https://www.hrw.org/news/2026/06/12/ilo-adopts-landmark-treaty-on-gig-work
