You probably don’t know about this at all: yesterday [December 2, 2024] a seminar on platform work and the situation of employees, especially foreigners, was held at the ZUS headquarters. The people invited to the debate mainly represented scientific and analytical communities. The only voice representing us, employees, was Stanisław Kierwiak from the trade union operating in the Pyszne.pl Platform
Since the meeting was organized by ZUS, the speeches naturally concerned the issue of legal regulation of employment relationships in Platforms, especially in the context of the adopted Directive on Work for Platforms. There were also voices that regulating the situation and providing employees with some legal and social security would result in “stiffening” this work (after all, flexibility is the most important thing that employees expect from working for Platforms).
A good summary of the debate was the statement by Dominik Owczarek from the Institute of Public Affairs:
The way in which the provisions of the Directive will be incorporated into Polish law depends not so much on the legal status in Poland or on the case law of Polish courts, but on a certain political decision. So here we have a question: how will the balance of political forces at the time of transposition of this directive want to see solutions in this area. Will it want to strive, in accordance with the name of this directive, to improve working conditions, clarify all doubts, or other doubts related to establishing the employment status. And of course, strengthening the control by the National Labor Inspectorate.
And our comment: on the one hand, this is a step forward, after 15 years, ZUS has noticed the problems of Platform Work. On the other hand: talking about working conditions, calling them “satisfactory” without presenting a broader context is simply manipulation. And on the third hand: dividing us, employees, as “locals” and “migrants” is outrageous. We are all human beings and we work to live with dignity.
The recording of the seminar is available online: youtube.com
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