The International Labour Organization (ILO) has finalised a landmark International Convention aimed at securing decent working conditions for millions of digital gig workers worldwide.
The final text of the "Decent Work in the Platform Economy Convention, 2026" was released by the Standard-Setting Committee during the 114th Session of the International Labour Conference in Geneva.
Recognizing the differences among Member States regarding the development of the platform economy, as well as the diversity of business models and work arrangements within it, the convention prioritises the need to support an enabling environment for sustainable enterprises and promotion of fair business competition.
The convention addresses the rapid transformation of the global labor market driven by digital labor platforms.
While recognising that the platform economy has generated significant income, enterprise opportunities, and pathways for formalising work, the ILO highlighted critical "decent work deficits" that require strict international standards.
Because digital platforms frequently operate across borders—often leaving clients, platforms, and workers in separate countries—the framework establishes a unified baseline for protection. The convention applies universally to all digital labor platforms and platform workers, encompassing those in both the formal and informal economies. Under the new treaty, member states are obligated to respect, promote, and realize Fundamental principles Rights at Work(FPRW), including:
Freedom of association and the recognition of collective bargaining rights.
The elimination of forced labor, child labor, and workplace discrimination.
A safe and healthy working environment, including the right of workers to remove themselves from situations posing imminent danger to their life or health without retaliation.
Protection against violence and harassment, explicitly covering online abuse and threats involving third-party clients.
In a major step toward addressing modern technological challenges, the convention introduces strict guidelines regarding automated decision-making and algorithmic management.
Member states must require digital platforms to inform workers and their representative organisations before utilising automated systems to monitor, evaluate, or generate work-related decisions.
Furthermore, the treaty mandates that platforms ensure "appropriate human involvement". Workers will have the right to request written explanations for significant automated decisions that adversely impact their access to work or schedule.
They can also demand a formal review of critical account actions, such as the non-disbursement of payments, account suspensions, or account deactivations.
The text also establishes safeguards for personal data, granting workers the right to access, rectify, and erase their information, subject to local data retention laws. Account suspensions or terminations based on discriminatory or unlawful grounds are strictly prohibited.
The treaty pushes for the correct classification of platform workers’ employment status based on the actual performance of work and remuneration, rather than how a company self-labels its workforce.
It requires that payments be made in full, on time, and via lawful means. For platform workers recognised in an employment relationship, member states must guarantee compensation that meets or exceeds statutory minimum wages, excluding tips, and ensures reimbursement for operational expenses.
Additionally, the convention orders nations to implement measures preventing the abuse of vulnerable demographics, explicitly naming migrants and refugees engaged in platform work.
The convention will become legally binding for ratifying member states 12 months after the official registrations of two ILO members are logged with the Director-General of the International Labour Office.
Governments are expected to implement these provisions in consultation with major employers' and workers' organisations through domestic legislation, collective agreements, or court decisions.
While the framework allows member nations to temporarily exclude limited categories of platforms or workers due to substantial native complexities, they must progressively work toward expanding full protection to those sectors and document their challenges in routine reports to the ILO.