The project examines how online labour platforms organise and control a remote and geographically dispersed workforce and how workers respond to power asymmetries in platform-mediated work. Particular attention is paid to the standards and practices through which platforms organise work, as well as to workers’ ability to represent and defend their rights and interests, both individually and collectively.
The research covers Bangladesh, Serbia and Germany and combines desk research, in-depth interviews and participant observation. Re:People is the research partner in Serbia, contributing to fieldwork and knowledge exchange on online platform work.
The project is led by the University of Lausanne, in collaboration with international experts and research networks including the ILO and Fairwork/WZB, and is funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF).