ILO Experts Clarify the Classification of the Self-Employed and the Term “Dependent Contractors”
“Dependent contractors are workers who maintain contractual relationships of a commercial nature (but not an employment contract) to provide goods or services to another economic unit, or through it. They are not employees of that economic unit, but they depend on it for the organization and performance of their work, for their income, or for access to the market. These are workers engaged with the aim of generating profit, but who rely on another organization that controls their productive activities and directly benefits from the work they perform,” the ILO experts explained.
Examples include hairdressers renting a chair in a salon, who depend on the salon owner for access to clients. Another example is a driver taking ride orders via a digital platform while using their own car.
This category was first defined in the International Classification of Status in Employment (ICSE-18). According to the ILO, dependent contractors are now having a growing impact on the economy and the labour market. Data collected from 16 countries demonstrate that their share in total employment varies significantly by region and level of economic development—from fractions of a percent (0.3% in Russia) to nearly one-fifth of all workers (18.9% in Tanzania). The weighted average stands at 6.5% of the employed.
“Dependent contractors represent a distinct group of workers at the boundary between paid employment and self-employment. Their characteristics—including their potential for job creation and their high level of dynamism—make them key actors in labour markets worldwide,” the ILO specialists concluded.
At the same time, the ILO highlights that questions continue to arise regarding whether labour rights and protections apply to dependent contractors, and whether some of them should be legally recognized as employees.
GCTU News
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Viktor Pinsky: GCTU Should Play a Leading Role in Organizing Trade Union Education in the CIS
Viktor Pinsky, Secretary General of the General Confederation of Trade Unions (GCTU), believes that the GCTU should take a leading role in developing a system for training, retraining, and upgrading the skills of personnel, exchanging experiences, and educating leaders and trade union activists across the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS)
"We already have successful experience in organizing trade union education. This year over 400 people from six countries participated in the GCTU’s first two educational programs. The idea to launch such programs came directly from the requests of our member organizations. Internships are another in-demand format, especially among young people. They provide an opportunity to personally visit international organizations and see their work from the inside," said Viktor Pinsky.
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For trade unions, March 8 is not just a day of spring and renewal.
For trade unions, March 8 is not just a day of spring and renewal.
For trade unions, March 8 is not merely a day of spring and renewal. Above all, it is an opportunity to once again reflect on the role of women in the world of work and in global development as a whole. Today, women perform 55% of the world’s total labor. They work longer hours than men—by 6 to 13 hours per week—and still earn less: on average, women’s wages amount to 66–84% of men’s wages, depending on the country. There is objective evidence that the more a country values women’s labor and the smaller the gender pay gap, the more developed its economy. A special issue is the “invisibility” of women’s domestic and, as experts call it, reproductive labor. This is why trade unions should continue to fight for justice for working women.
I congratulate all women of the CIS, my colleagues in the parliamentary corps, and women in trade unions on International Women’s Day. I wish you justice, decent work, success, and prosperity!
Viktor Pinsky
General Secretary of the General Confederation of Trade Unions, Member of the State Duma
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General Confederation of Trade Unions Proposes Securing Trade Union Rights in Enterprise Bankruptcy
General Confederation of Trade Unions Proposes Securing Trade Union Rights in Enterprise Bankruptcy
The General Confederation of Trade Unions’ (GCTU) proposals are reflected in the draft CIS model law “On Cross-Border Insolvency and Bankruptcy.”
Trade unions must have the right to represent and protect workers’ interests in the bankruptcy of international companies, according to Viktor Pinsky, Member of the State Duma of the Russian Federation and General Secretary of the GCTU.