Global Labour Body Adopts First Treaty to Shield Gig Workers from Algorithmic Abuses
13.06.2026 - 02:46:00 | boerse-global.de
On June 12, the International Labour Organization (ILO) passed the first-ever worldwide accord to protect people working on digital platforms. The agreement sets minimum wages, social insurance, and workplace safety standards for ride-hailing drivers, delivery couriers, and online freelancers. A key provision demands transparency in algorithmic management: systems that assign jobs or evaluate performance must follow clear, reviewable rules. The protections will take effect once member states ratify the treaty.
That same day, hundreds of Italian civil servants walked off the job for 24 hours. Employees at the office of the prime minister protested a government decree that slashes remote-work entitlements for public-sector staff from 104 days a year to 52. The administration argues that in-person presence boosts productivity. Unions counter that the cut damages work-life balance, pointing to cramped offices, broken air conditioners, and unsanitary conditions as evidence that the push to return is not matched by adequate facilities.
Meanwhile, Microsoft is preparing a new tool that automatically registers whether an employee is physically in the office. The feature, rolling out in June 2026, analyses Wi-Fi connections or attached monitors to determine presence. For German companies, the innovation triggers mandatory co-determination rights for works councils. The system must be switched off by default and can only be activated with administrator clearance or each worker’s explicit consent. Location data is deleted at the end of every working day; no movement history is stored.
On the legislative front, Germany’s Fourth Bureaucracy Relief Act now permits employment contracts to be concluded in text form — an email suffices. Work references become valid with a qualified electronic signature, and since spring 2025, parental-leave applications can be submitted informally via email. A separate regulatory warning flags the rise of “shadow AI”: employees using private AI accounts for professional tasks. Companies are urged to provide official AI tools and train staff to prevent data leakage.
Entrepreneurs also benefit from a digitalisation push. Under an EU directive on digitalisation, founders can now register a GmbH or UG — the German limited-liability companies — via video conference, provided no contributions in kind are made. The measure aims to reduce bureaucratic hurdles and accelerate business creation.
