Guidelines for Welfare for Informal Workers on Platforms Food Delivery Services

Abstract

This research has three objectives: (1) to study the welfare provisions of workers on food delivery platform companies; (2) to study legal measures related to the welfare provision of workers in the informal sector on food delivery platform companies; (3) to identify the welfare problems and needs of workers in the informal sector on food delivery platform companies; and (4) to propose guidelines for providing welfare to workers in the informal sector on food delivery platform companies.

This research is qualitative, with 54 key informants including informal workers on food delivery platform companies such as Grabfood, Lineman, and Foodpanda; government agencies involved in labor welfare provision; and experts related to labor welfare provision. Data was collected through in-depth interviews and analyzed using content analysis.

The research findings indicate that: (1) Grabfood, Lineman, and Foodpanda platform companies provide welfare to their workers, but it is voluntary and not a basic benefit for all workers. Welfare is merely a business competition strategy focused on motivating work, not on creating satisfaction or convenience for workers. (2) Workers have incomplete information about welfare from platform companies and desire welfare in terms of safety, economic security, income security, and effective counseling. They want the welfare conditions to be abolished and for labor needs to be surveyed before defining welfare. (3) Currently, the law does not define the status of workers on platform companies. This affects the failure to receive welfare rights and legal protection. Government agencies lack the power to enforce laws against platform companies. (4) Guidelines for providing welfare for informal workers on food delivery platforms must adhere to the principles of providing welfare that meets the actual needs of workers, the principles of providing welfare that covers everyone, the principles of participation in providing welfare, and the principles of flexibility and diversity. Push for platform workers to receive legal status, set appropriate minimum welfare standards, improve laws to support business models on platforms, and create mechanisms for cooperation between workers, platform companies, and government agencies.