New ILO convention on platform work offers important safeguards for workers in Türkiye

New ILO convention on platform work offers important safeguards for workers in Türkiye

Highlighting Türkiye's large population of couriers and young digital freelancers, the ILO Türkiye Director emphasized that this serves as a historic safeguard for the national labour market.

16 June 2026

ANKARA (ILO News) - The International Labour Conference (ILC) has adopted the Convention on Decent Work in the Platform Economy (2026), establishing the first international labour standard specifically designed to address working conditions in the digital platform economy. Highlighting Türkiye's large population of couriers and young digital freelancers, the ILO Türkiye Director Yasser Hassan emphasized that this global convention serves as a historic safeguard for the national labour market, ensuring that technological transformation is shaped by the principles of decent work.

At its 114th session in Geneva, on June 12, 2026, the International Labour Conference adopted the ILO Convention No. 193 concerning Decent Work in the Platform Economy, with strong support from ILO constituents, receiving 406 votes in favour, 8 against and 36 abstentions.

The new international labour standard responds to the rapid growth of digital labour platforms and the increasing number of workers earning their livelihoods through platform-based work, including ride-hailing, delivery and online freelance services. As digital platforms continue to reshape labour markets worldwide, the Convention provides a global framework to promote decent work, fairness and social protection in the sector.

The platform economy has expanded rapidly in recent years, creating new forms of employment and income generation across the globe. At the same time, concerns have emerged regarding employment status, working conditions, income security, social protection and the growing role of algorithms in managing work.

By establishing a common international framework, the Convention seeks to support governments, employers and workers in shaping a platform economy that is both innovative and inclusive. It establishes a range of principles and protections aimed at ensuring that platform workers have fundamental rights at work and adequate labour protection.

Bridging global standards with Türkiye's reality

The adoption of the Convention holds particular significance for Türkiye, where platform-based work has expanded rapidly in recent years, especially in delivery services.

Commenting on the historic decision, the ILO Türkiye Director Yasser Hassan emphasized that "The adoption of this Convention is the culmination of years of hard work. A significant milestone was the publishing in January 2024 by ILO of the report titled Realizing Decent Work in the Platform Economy, which provided important data and information on the challenges created by the growth of this form of work and how countries are dealing with them. It marks a turning point for the future of work globally and in Türkiye. Platform workers who deserve the same labour rights and protections as all workers are now recognized and protected by a new labour standard".

"In Türkiye, labour market has seen accelerated proliferation of platform-based work. Demands for better working conditions have persisted for years. The new standard will enable us look into existing regulations, perhaps draft new ones, and their implementation so that platform workers have access to their rights and to decent work". Director Yasser Hassan said.

The Convention provides a globally agreed framework to help ensure that technological progress goes hand in hand with decent work. It serves as a historic safeguard for workers and businesses alike, while supporting fair and sustainable growth in the digital economy.

"The new standard takes into consideration national realties in countries. Determining the employment status is a national matter, which is determined according to national legal systems and circumstances. However, the Convention adopts, for the first time, a set of protections that apply regardless of employment status, which include for example measures related to occupational safety and health, minimum remuneration, and protection against unjustified termination of work relationships or deactivation from digital platforms".

The Convention will now be open for ratification by ILO Member States. Once ratified, countries will be required to align national laws, policies and practices with its provisions.

"The adoption of the Convention is a strong demonstration of what tripartism can achieve in a rapidly changing world of work, and the ILO Office for Türkiye looks forward to working closely with government institutions, employers' and workers' organizations, as well as with relevant stakeholders to promote decent work in Türkiye's platform economy". Yasser Hassan said.

The adoption of the Convention on Decent Work in the Platform Economy represents a historic milestone in international labour standard-setting and reflects the commitment of ILO constituents to ensuring that the future of work is built on the principles of decent work, social justice and human dignity.