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Informal employment on domestic care platforms: a study on the individualisation of risk and unpaid labour in mature market contexts

Author

Listed:
  • Valeria Pulignano

    (Centre for Sociological Research (CeSo), Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Belgium)

  • Claudia MarÃ

    (Centre for Sociological Research (CeSo), Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Belgium)

  • Milena Franke

    (Centre for Sociological Research (CeSo), Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Belgium)

  • Karol Muszynski

    (Centre for Sociological Research (CeSo), Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Belgium)

Abstract

This article explains how digitally mediated provision of domestic care services perpetuates the invisibility and informality of such work through individualising risk, which we operationalise by one of its dimensions, that of unpaid labour. We understand unpaid labour as the cost of the risk borne individually by workers at the intersection of the social (inter-personal) and economic (monetary) spheres. Drawing on the experiences of domestic care workers providing their services through platforms, the study shows how platforms have made their way into the labour markets and welfare structures of two mature economies, Belgium and France. Via their (digital) rules, they pursue ‘regulatory compliance’ and ‘disruption’ as distinct strategies for establishing platform dominance, albeit with country-based differences. Platform-mediated employment outcomes remain generally unrecognised, undocumented and informal, with unpaid labour characterising the cost of the individualisation of risk.

Suggested Citation

  • Valeria Pulignano & Claudia Marà & Milena Franke & Karol Muszynski, 2023. "Informal employment on domestic care platforms: a study on the individualisation of risk and unpaid labour in mature market contexts," Transfer: European Review of Labour and Research, , vol. 29(3), pages 323-338, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:treure:v:29:y:2023:i:3:p:323-338
    DOI: 10.1177/10242589231177353
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Natalie Sedacca, 2022. "Domestic work and the gig economy," Chapters, in: Valerio De Stefano & Ilda Durri & Charalampos Stylogiannis & Mathias Wouters (ed.), A Research Agenda for the Gig Economy and Society, chapter 9, pages 149-166, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    2. David Stark & Ivana Pais, 2021. "Algorithmic Management in the Platform Economy," Economia & lavoro, Carocci editore, issue 3, pages 57-80.
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    Cited by:

    1. Dalia Gesualdi-Fecteau & Christian Lévesque & Gregor Murray & Nicolas Roby, 2023. "Einleitung: Wie wir Arbeit besser machen," Transfer: European Review of Labour and Research, , vol. 29(3), pages 295-304, August.
    2. Dalia Gesualdi-Fecteau & Christian Lévesque & Gregor Murray & Nicolas Roby, 2023. "Introduction. Making work better," Transfer: European Review of Labour and Research, , vol. 29(3), pages 277-284, August.
    3. Dalia Gesualdi-Fecteau & Christian Lévesque & Gregor Murray & Nicolas Roby, 2023. "Introduction : Améliorer le travail," Transfer: European Review of Labour and Research, , vol. 29(3), pages 285-294, August.

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