The EU approves minimum labor rights for workers from platforms such as Uber or Deliveroo
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The plenary of the European Parliament has approved on Tuesday the regulation that extends a series of minimum labor rights to workers with very short-term or part-time contracts, as well as jobs called "unconventional", such as those on demand or online platforms as Uber and Deliveroo.
The MEPs have given their approval with 466 votes in favor, 145 against and 37 abstentions to the preliminary agreement reached with the Member States, which will now have a period of three years to implement the new rules.
Specifically, the regulations require companies to inform their employees on the first day as a general rule, and exceptionally within the first seven days, of the fundamental characteristics of the contract, among them the description of the tasks, the date of incorporation, the duration, the salary and the schedule.
Workers on demand will have the right to a minimum of predictability in their schedules by establishing predetermined "baseline" hours and days. In addition, they may reject, without consequences, work outside the reference hours or obtain compensation if they are not notified in time of the cancellation of a contract.
In the same way, employers may not prohibit, penalize or prevent their workers on demand. signing contracts with other companies provided it is outside of working hours that both parties have agreed by default.
Another new feature is that Test periods may not exceed six months or, in the case of temporary contracts, an equivalent period proportional to its duration. Likewise, if there is a new contract for the same position, it can not have a trial period again.
The person in charge of the report approved by the Eurocámara is the Spanish liberal Euro-deputy Enrique Calvet, who has affirmed that the directive is "the first big step" towards the application of the European Pillar of Social Rights.
"All workers who have been in limbo will, thanks to this directive and the judgments of the Court of Justice of the EU (TUE), guarantee their minimum rights. From now on, no employer can abuse the existing flexibility in the labor market, "he stressed.
