Minimum Wages for Online Labor Platforms?: Regulating the Global Gig Economy

Wood A.J, Graham M and Anwar A, Minimum Wages for Online Labor Platforms? Regulating the Global Gig Economy.' In Larsson A and Teigland R (Eds) 'The Digital Transformation of Labor (Open Access): Automation, the Gig Economy and Welfare. London: Routledge, Forthcoming

9 Pages Posted: 26 Jul 2019

See all articles by Alex Wood

Alex Wood

Oxford Internet Institute; University of Oxford; University of Bristol

Mark Graham

University of Oxford - Oxford Internet Institute

Mohammad Amir Anwar

Centre of African Studies, University of Edinburgh; Oxford Internet Institute, University of Oxford; School of Tourism and Hospitality Management

Date Written: July 24, 2019

Abstract

The rise of the “gig economy” has enabled Internet users to find new work previously unavailable to them. For this purpose, “online labor platforms” have been set up, which constitute a global remote gig economy and enable clients to access world-wide labor power. This chapter discusses how these platforms work and to this end 250 remote gig economy workers across ten countries and four continents have been interviewed along with platform CEOs and government and trade union officials. Moreover, a survey encompassing 679 Asian and African workers has been conducted in addition to an analysis of transaction data and observation studies. The authors conclude by cautioning against having online gig work function as an unregulated labor market and propose some suggestions to improve relationships and conditions between the employing class, the governing class, and the working class.

Keywords: Gig economy, Online labor platforms, Remote workers, Labor market, Asia, Africa

Suggested Citation

Wood, Alex and Wood, Alex and Graham, Mark and Anwar, Mohammad Amir, Minimum Wages for Online Labor Platforms?: Regulating the Global Gig Economy (July 24, 2019). Wood A.J, Graham M and Anwar A, Minimum Wages for Online Labor Platforms? Regulating the Global Gig Economy.' In Larsson A and Teigland R (Eds) 'The Digital Transformation of Labor (Open Access): Automation, the Gig Economy and Welfare. London: Routledge, Forthcoming, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3426149

Alex Wood (Contact Author)

Oxford Internet Institute ( email )

1 St. Giles
University of Oxford
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United Kingdom

University of Oxford

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University of Bristol ( email )

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Mark Graham

University of Oxford - Oxford Internet Institute ( email )

1 St. Giles
University of Oxford
Oxford, Oxfordshire OX1 3JS
United Kingdom

HOME PAGE: http://www.geospace.co.uk

Mohammad Amir Anwar

Centre of African Studies, University of Edinburgh ( email )

Old College
South Bridge
Edinburgh, Scotland EH8 9JY
United Kingdom

Oxford Internet Institute, University of Oxford ( email )

1 St. Giles
University of Oxford
Oxford, Oxfordshire OX1 3JS
United Kingdom

School of Tourism and Hospitality Management

PO Box 524
Auckland Park
Johannesburg, Gauteng 2006
South Africa

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