The GDPoweR project examined how digital labour platforms in the food-delivery and ride-hailing industries collect and use worker data, how these practices affect workers, and how collective agreements on pay, conditions and data use are negotiated and implemented in Austria, Belgium, France, Poland and Spain. This report compares the findings across the five countries.
We find collective agreements covering platform workers in ride-hailing and food-delivery in Austria, France and Spain, including some innovative agreements which can serve as blueprints for social partners in other countries. However, most agreements do not regulate the use of worker data by platforms and their effectiveness in improving workers incomes’ remains limited. Methodologically, the report shows how workers' GDPR data can be used to monitor the implementation of some aspects of collective bargaining agreements.
Most platform companies collecte the same types of data about workers, but some store significantly more location data than others. Workers in all countries experience challenges exercising their GDPR rights. Furthermore, most workers have some understanding of what data is collected but lack specifics. Key decision-making process are seen as opaque leading to speculation about which factors matter. Workers’ views on companies’ use of their personal data include negative (feeling monitored, subject to unjust and opaque decision-making), indifferent (part of the job, modern life) and positive (use data for tax declarations, in conflicts/litigation against companies) experiences. Overall, workers’ views on platforms’ usage of their data are nuanced with most accepting that companies collect the data is necessary for them to operate, but not more.
