Seven African labor organizations have united to demand a binding international convention at the 114th Session of the International Labour Conference (ILC), happening in Geneva, Switzerland from June 1st to 12th, 2026. The coalition includes Kenya Union of Gig Workers (KUGWO), the Africa Tech Workers Movement (ATWM), the Data Labellers Association (DLA), HomeNet International, and the Women Commercial Drivers Association of Kenya (WCDA-K).
The coalition have come together against what they describe as severe, algorithmic exploitation by global tech giants.
For over a decade, digital platform workers have operated in the shadows, training the algorithms that power modern AI and navigating the streets to deliver goods and transport passengers. However, labour leaders argue that the promise of flexible, dignified digital work has turned into a wheel of poverty.
“What you may not know is that platform workers have been fighting exploitation by tech platforms for over a decade,” said Frida Mwangi, National Chairperson of KUGWO, during a joint press briefing. “The apps they work for have subjected them to unstable and inadequate income, unachievable output quotas, opaque rating systems, extensive surveillance, and unfair deactivations. They have tied us in a race to the bottom.”
The tripartite discussions in Geneva between governments, employers, and workers present a historic opportunity to establish an international labor standard for the gig economy. The Kenyan coalition has put forward 11 non-negotiable demands for the upcoming ILO convention:
- Fundamental Rights & Legal Recognition: Full labor protections extended to all digital platform workers, explicitly recognizing them as employees rather than “independent contractors.”
- Algorithmic Governance & Account Safety: Safeguards against opaque automated management, fraudulent algorithms, and unjustified account deactivations.
- Fair Compensation: Transparent remuneration ensuring full pay for all hours worked, alongside compensation for work-related expenses and a strict ban on platforms charging workers “sign-up” or matching fees.
- The Right to Disconnect: Regulated working hours allowing human beings to rest without facing algorithmic penalties.
- Data Privacy: Protection against the misuse of personal data, with demands that tech companies pay workers extra if their data is harvested to train AI models.
- Localized Justice: Access to dispute resolution mechanisms within the country where the work is performed. Leaders heavily criticized policies forcing Kenyan workers to seek legal recourse in foreign jurisdictions like the Netherlands for local workplace grievances.
The coalition has also launched a public petition demanding that the Kenyan government stand firmly with its citizens rather than siding with multinational tech platforms.