Heterogeneity of Labour on Digital Platforms in India: Precarity or Empowerment?
Jeemol Unni Ravikiran Naik
Heterogeneity of Labour on Digital Platforms in India: Precarity or Empowerment? Economic and Political Weekly Vol.59; No.50 - 14 Dec. 2024 pp. 75-83
Studies have proposed that work on digital labour platforms is precarious. This paper argues that there is heterogeneity of workers on digital platforms with varying work contracts; not all are precarious. Digital wage and salary work, characterised by structured employment arrangements, may be economically more precarious. These workers experience earnings fluctuations and limited access to social security benefits. In contrast, self-employed workers leveraging platforms to enhance market reach may exhibit greater economic security and control. They benefit from the platform’s infrastructure, customer base, and entrepreneurial opportunities, leading to higher earning potential and flexibility. The analysis uses individual records of the Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy-Consumer Pyramids Household Survey from May 2022 to December 2023.
Economics
India
Employment
Digital labour platforms
Social security benefits
Digital wage
Self-employed workers
Platform business
Platform workers
Heterogeneity of Labour on Digital Platforms in India: Precarity or Empowerment? Economic and Political Weekly Vol.59; No.50 - 14 Dec. 2024 pp. 75-83
Studies have proposed that work on digital labour platforms is precarious. This paper argues that there is heterogeneity of workers on digital platforms with varying work contracts; not all are precarious. Digital wage and salary work, characterised by structured employment arrangements, may be economically more precarious. These workers experience earnings fluctuations and limited access to social security benefits. In contrast, self-employed workers leveraging platforms to enhance market reach may exhibit greater economic security and control. They benefit from the platform’s infrastructure, customer base, and entrepreneurial opportunities, leading to higher earning potential and flexibility. The analysis uses individual records of the Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy-Consumer Pyramids Household Survey from May 2022 to December 2023.
Economics
India
Employment
Digital labour platforms
Social security benefits
Digital wage
Self-employed workers
Platform business
Platform workers