Hahn (FDP) on platform work: "Yes to fair working conditions. No to the abolition of solo self-employment."

February 2, 2023

"The FDP supports fair working conditions for platform workers and clearly opposes any kind of exploitation. However, the parliamentary text of the Social Democratic negotiator on the Platform Workers Directive overshoots the mark by far. Instead of combating bogus self-employment in a targeted manner, the law would de facto lead to the extensive abolition of solo self-employment. Far beyond delivery or driving services. In fact, all people who work via digital work platforms would be forced into an employment relationship."

Commenting on today's vote on the negotiating mandate for the directive on improving working conditions in platform work, the employment and social policy spokesperson of the FDP delegation in the European Parliament, Svenja Hahn, said:

 

"The FDP supports fair working conditions for platform workers and clearly opposes any kind of exploitation. However, the parliamentary text of the Social Democratic negotiator on the Platform Workers Directive overshoots the mark by far. Instead of combating bogus self-employment in a targeted manner, the law would de facto lead to the extensive abolition of solo self-employment. Far beyond delivery or driving services. In fact, all people who work via digital work platforms would be forced into an employment relationship. For us as the FDP, this is a red line, because we want to strengthen the self-employed instead of taking away their basis for working. In addition, the agreed parliamentary position contains numerous problem areas, some of which are incompatible with national labour law, such as the restriction of collective bargaining autonomy."