Geneva negotiations on binding global standards begin as Singapore’s Platform Workers Act signals a new regional model
The International Labour Organization has commenced its final two weeks of negotiations in Geneva on 1 June 2026 aimed at producing the first binding international convention for gig economy workers — a development with significant implications across Asia, where platform work is growing at pace and regulatory approaches are diverging sharply.
The ILO's standard-setting committee is holding its final discussions from 1–11 June at the 114th International Labour Conference, with member states aiming to agree on binding rules and recommendations by the close of next week.
The gig economy nearly doubled in size between 2016 and 2021, according to the ILO, reaching an estimated market value of roughly $10.2 trillion in 2023. It now counts up to 435 million workers — approximately 12.5 per cent of the global labour workforce, according to the World Bank.
The heart of the dispute
A central sticking point is whether protections such as the minimum wage and benefits including healthcare, sick leave, and social security should apply to all workers on these platforms, or depend on whether they are classified as employees or self-employed.
Rights organisations say algorithmic management is intensifying those concerns. “There is a serious problem with transparency and accountability around how algorithms are used to determine pay and performance,” said Lena Simet, senior advisor on economic justice at Human Rights Watch. A May 2026 Human Rights Watch report, Algorithms of Exploitation, found that across nine countries, including India, Kenya, and the UAE, workers face low and unstable earnings, unsafe working conditions, and little to no protection when injured or unable to work.
Divided camps in Geneva
Negotiations are expected to be difficult. According to Reuters, the US, China, Argentina, and India favour a less prescriptive approach, while the European Union, Brazil, and Mexico support stronger protections. The International Organisation of Employers, which represents about 50 million companies worldwide, has said any framework should remain flexible, allowing countries to adapt rules to national circumstances.
The trade union movement has demanded a stronger outcome. Luc Triangle, General Secretary of the International Trade Union Confederation, told Reuters: “Technological innovation cannot be used as an excuse to weaken democratic labour rights.”
The seven-page draft text sets out rules to guarantee core labour rights, fair pay, and safe working conditions for all platform workers, regardless of how companies classify them. One contested area involves algorithmic oversight — many of the components around algorithmic control have been shifted from the binding convention into the non-binding recommendation, potentially creating a means for companies to avoid certain transparency obligations.
Why this matters in Singapore
Singapore has moved faster than almost any other jurisdiction in Asia to formalise protections for platform workers — and its model is drawing global attention. Singapore’s Platform Workers Act came into force on 1 January 2025, mandating that gig workers and platform companies split Central Provident Fund contributions equally, while expanding access to workers’ compensation and medical insurance. Platform operators now also bear responsibility for workplace safety.
With approximately 67,600 platform workers in Singapore, these changes bring meaningful retirement and housing security to a workforce that previously had few protections. The financial obligations on platforms are also escalating: CPF contribution rates for platform operators doubled from 3.5 per cent to 7 per cent on 1 January 2026, with rates continuing to rise to 17 per cent by 2029.
Singapore’s approach is notable for creating a pragmatic third category — neither employee nor independent contractor — that extends meaningful protections without dismantling the flexibility that platform work offers. As one of the first countries to establish specific safeguards for this growing workforce, Singapore is demonstrating its commitment to adapting labour laws to the evolving digital economy. That model is now being cited as a potential blueprint for the region, and its principles are closely aligned with the convention taking shape in Geneva.
For companies operating platform-based workforces across Asia, the direction of travel — in Geneva and in Singapore — points in the same direction. The compliance questions are no longer hypothetical.
