ISSN (Print) - 0012-9976 | ISSN (Online) - 2349-8846

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Labour Laws for Gig Workers in the Context of Labour Law Reforms

In an attempt to incorporate the doctrine of universalisation of social security, the gig workers are brought into the ambit of the labour laws for the first time, with the provision of some welfare measures under the Code on Social Security, 2020. The three other codes are silent on the policies towards gig workers. While the codes are yet to be implemented, there are many questions pertaining to the clarity of the codes and how to implement them effectively to meet the intended objectives.

Growing Gig Economy in India: Is More the Merrier?

In recent years, numerous studies have emphasised the rise of the gig economy in labour markets across the globe. The gig economy's workforce participation rate is growing in tandem with the number of companies in the space. Multiple limitations of this model have been discussed, in both academic and industry literature. However, the perspective has always been concerning businesses and their profitability. Broader sociological and macroeconomic questions are yet to be answered: Is a growing gig workforce good for society? Can the workforce engaged in the gig economy be factored into employment figures of a country? Can employment in the gig economy be seen as an alternative to traditional employment among people who are in lower socio-economic strata, and is it capable of fulfilling the aspirations of an individual and family? This article provides a viewpoint and further directions for research on these questions based on fundamental observations. However, it does not intend to provide a comprehensive empirical answer to these questions.

Between Precarity and Flexibility

The Gig Economy: A Critical Introduction by Jamie Woodcock and Mark Graham, UK, Cambridge and Medford: Polity Press, 2020; pp ix + 182, £14.99.

 

Social Security Code, 2020 and Rules

The Social Security Code, 2020 and the rules framed thereunder raise a number of issues regarding the working of the new legislation, which is the focus of the article. A major problem is the complex provisions that allow for dual authorities and overlapping of zones. Integration of the new code with the ongoing social security programmes and financing of new ones are other issues discussed.

 

Have Uber and Ola Met Promises Made to Drivers and Commuters?

Workers' calls for governmental regulation on minimum wages and social security provisions for drivers continue to be sidestepped by Ola, Uber and other taxi aggregators.
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