CICOPA’s contribution to the conversation on platform work during ICA Asia Pacific event

09 May 2023 

On the 15 of March 2023, the ICA Asia-Pacific organised an event titled “Potential for collectives in the gig and platform economy: Insights and international experiences”. CICOPA’s Secretary General Diana Dovgan was invited to present the issue from the European perspective. 

The International Cooperative Alliance (ICA) Asia-Pacific and the Indian National Institution for Transforming (NITI Aayog) co-organised, on the 15 March 2023, an online event titled “Potential for collectives in the gig and platform economy: Insights and international experiences”. The event aimed at presenting experiences of platform cooperatives from around the globe, explore how collectivism can improve the working conditions of platform workers, and link these best practices to the case of India. 

Diana Dovgan, Secretary General of CICOPA and its European branch CECOP (The European Confederation of Industrial and Service Cooperatives), was invited to speak at the event platform work economy in the European Union. She presented the reasons that led to the European Union to legislate on the topic, the current state of the project of law currently under negotiation in the European Union, and CECOP’s position on the text. Other speakers presented cases from Europe. Magdalena Ziomek from Smart Germany presented her freelancers cooperative, and Matthew Browns presented the Preston Model of community wealth building. John Hayes presented the online teacher cooperative based in the United-Kingdom, MyCoolClass, which has a global presence and teacher from across the world working on the platform.   

Two speakers presented the current state of the gig economy in India. Dr Shaksi Khurana from NITI Aayog did so by showcasing the trends and policy recommendations present in their policy brief “India’s Booming Gig and Platform Economy: Perspectives and Recommendations on the Future of Work” while Dr. S.K. Sasikumar gave an overview of the needs of the Indian labour market.  

 Read more about CECOP position on the topic by following this link.