The 113th session of the International Labour Conference is taking place in Geneva from 2 to 13 June 2025, where representatives of governments, employers and workers arel discussing, among other things, the challenges of ensuring decent work in the platform economy and the need to develop international labour standards in this area.
Most governments and trade unions, as well as some employers’ organizations, agreed that it is necessary to adopt new international labour standards to regulate the rights of platform workers. This is the first step towards addressing the difficulties experienced by workers in this area – income instability, lack of social protection, unclear classification of employment relationships, lack of fair payment for work, lack of protective measures, limited collective rights, possibilities for dispute resolution, etc.
However, when the vote on international legal acts began, the opinions of workers and employers diverged: most trade union delegates voted for the recommendations of the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the Convention on Platform Work. At the time, employers’ organizations voted against the Convention, and only the unanimous vote of trade union and government representatives paved the way for a new ILO Convention that would regulate mandatory provisions and additional guidelines for States.
The discussions for the Conference were based on a comprehensive ILO analysis, including gaps in international law, a review of global practices, and survey data from 141 States and more than 300 employers’ and workers’ organizations.
“The new convention would set international standards for platform workers and help ensure fairer remuneration. It also includes provisions on safe and healthy workplaces. It is very important that social protection for workers is also ensured: access to social insurance, even if workers are classified as self-employed. It also includes the right to be represented and participate in social dialogue,” comments Artūras Černiauskas, Acting Vice President of the Lithuanian Trade Union Confederation, Head of the Lithuanian Railway Workers’ Trade Union Confederation, who represents Lithuanian trade unions at the ILO conference.
According to him, the 113th ILO Conference is the first step in a two-stage procedure aimed at developing and adopting the aforementioned standards. The final discussion and adoption are planned for the 114th ILO Conference in 2026, after which states will have to consider ratification and implementation.
The convention and recommendation would be an important step towards ensuring that platform work worldwide complies with the principles of decent work, regardless of the form of work.
The International Labour Conference session is the highest governing body of the ILO, which considers and adopts ILO conventions and recommendations, decides on the admission of new members, amends the ILO constitution, considers major issues of general policy and future activities of the ILO, elects the ILO Governing Body and approves the ILO budget.
It should be noted that this year’s conference session, on 11 June, will host an event dedicated to the World Day against Child Labour, and on 12 June. a high-level forum is being organized to present the activities of the global coalition for social justice.