Abstract
Background: Increasing demand for home care is a critical issue for the European Union (EU) and policy directions for improving the quality of care and labour conditions have been set out in the European Care Strategy. Access to collective bargaining is a key element of this. However, worker organisation in the sector is generally weak and trade union strength is in decline particularly in liberal welfare states within the EU. The European Institute for Gender Equality (2021) estimates that about 9 out of 10 paid care workers are women, with one in four having a migrant background. A high level of informality prevails in the sector. According to the European Labour Authority (2022), about half of care workers in domestic settings are undeclared workers. Funding models relying on poorly regulated use of cash transfers can encourage the employment of workers under informal contractual arrangements. Coupled with existing challenges, platform work is now a growing feature of the sector. It is evident that in the digitalised, post-pandemic world of work a new approach to organising workers is required.
Approach: This paper examines the challenges and opportunities that this context presents for organising care workers needs, representing the care workforce and creating sustainable approaches to care through digital platform solutions including commercial and cooperative based approaches.
Results: The paper sets out a dichotomy of approaches for with regard to representing the concerns of platform based care workers.
Implications: The paper outlines the implications of the EU Directive on Platform Work, and also the possible implications associated with the transposition of the Directive on Adequate Minimum Wages and Collective Bargaining Coverage in creating a sustainable workforce in home care provision