Fairwork India Ratings 2024: Ola, Uber, Porter Score Zero, Raising Alarm in Gig Economy
The recently released Fairwork India Ratings 2024 have highlighted alarming gaps in the gig economy, with major players like Ola, Uber, and Porter scoring zero out of 10. The findings call attention to the need for better working conditions and fairer practices in India’s platform economy.
What Are the Fairwork India Ratings?
Conducted by the Centre for IT and Public Policy (CITAPP) at IIIT-Bangalore and Oxford University, the Fairwork India Ratings evaluate digital platforms on five principles: Fair Pay, Fair Conditions, Fair Contracts, Fair Management, and Fair Representation.
The 2024 study assessed 11 platforms across sectors such as logistics, food delivery, and transportation, revealing major gaps in fair work practices.
Key 2024 Findings
Bottom Performers- Ola, Uber, Porter: Scored zero points, indicating significant issues with working conditions and fair pay.
- BigBasket, Swiggy, Urban Company, Zomato: Each scored 6 out of 10 points, leading the pack but still not fully meeting all principles of fair work.
Fair Pay Remains a Concern
- Only BigBasket and Urban Company implemented minimum wage policies.
- No platform is committed to ensuring a local living wage after work-related costs.
Sector Performance
- Food delivery and personal care services performed relatively better.
- Ride-hailing and logistics sectors have the most room for improvement.
Implications for the Gig Economy
The poor performance of major platforms like Ola, Uber, and Porter signals the following challenges:
- Worker Protections: Workers face fundamental risks with insufficient policies addressing fair pay and working conditions.
- Regulatory Scrutiny: Likely to attract more government oversight and potential regulations to protect gig workers’ rights.
- Consumer Awareness: As consumers become more aware of worker treatment, this may impact platform usage.
- Industry Competition: Top-scoring platforms could gain a competitive edge, while low scorers face pressure to improve practices.
Steps Towards Improvement
To improve their scores, platforms should:
- Implement comprehensive minimum wage policies.
- Enhance worker safety measures and training programs.
- Improve transparency in contracts and management.
- Engage with collective worker bodies.
- Invest in technology to monitor fair working conditions.
The Road Ahead
The 2024 Fairwork India Ratings serve as a wake-up call for the gig economy. To ensure sustainable growth, platforms must place fair work at the forefront of their operations. Stakeholders from workers to consumers are increasingly demanding fairness, and platforms that prioritize this will likely thrive in the evolving gig economy landscape.
