Decent gig work in Sub Sahara Africa?. (February 2023)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Ayentimi, Desmond Tutu; Abadi, Hossein Ali; Burgess, John
• Is Part Of: Journal of industrial relations. Volume 65:Number 1(2023)
• Page Start: 112
• Page End: 125
• Publication Date: 2023-02
• Subjects: Informal economy -- job insecurity -- labour standards -- technological change -- unorganised workers; Industrial relations -- Periodicals; Industrial relations -- Australia -- Periodicals; 331.05
• DOI: 10.1177/00221856221111693
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0022-1856

Abstract

Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) economies are entrenched in traditional economic and employment structures driven by the informal sector. There is a small and regulated formal sector, built upon public sector employment. Unlike the discussion of gig work in advanced capitalist economies, the development of gig work in SSA is within an environment where employment standards and labour regulations are largely absent. The concern in developed countries is that gig work erodes the norm of regulated employment; in developing economies gig work is part of the norm of informal and unregulated employment. Gig work in SSA offers the potential for formalisation of production and work, new forms of agency, and supporting decent work. However, the challenge is how to realise this potential. The role of platforms in developing and transmitting decent work protocols into gig contracts is discussed as a potential means for supporting decent work in SSA.