The Indian Federation of App-based Transport Workers (IFAT) has suggested changes in the soon-to-be-introduced Karnataka Platform Based Gig Workers (Social Security and Welfare) Bill, 2024, in the state Assembly.
On June 29, the Karnataka government made the draft of the Bill publicly available for suggestions.
IFAT, in its suggestion, has asked the standard of the Bill to be not just India-based but on a global level to protect the interest of gig workers.
IFAT suggested that all the rights mentioned for the workers should be crystal clear with “specific details being left to the rules.”
According to IFAT, gig workers should not be harmed or suffer by a random decision made by the algorithms. “Non-transparent algorithms which are at the heart of the platform economy should be governed by laws, to ensure worker safety,” read one of the suggestions.
IFAT suggested that the law should be designed in such a way that it comes into governance on the first day of its implementation.
IFAT also suggested the law be designed based on a tripartite model to protest the welfare of gig workers. “The tripartite model of protecting the welfare of unorganised sector workers informs not just the functioning of the Board but also the manner in which the law is enforced and implemented, apart from the schemes being funded,” read the suggestion.
The suggestions saw the participation of representatives of unions, civil society organisations and researchers in this area.
“We welcome the Karnataka government’s initiative to pass a law that will protect the rights of platform-based gig workers, create a Board for their welfare and levy a fee to fund the initiatives to provide social security to such workers,” IFAT said in the statement.
