Trade unions to boost gig worker protections

China's trade unions plan to recruit at least 7.5 million gig economy workers over the next five years and push platform companies into collective bargaining over pay, algorithms and working conditions, according to a newly released five-year plan.

The 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-30) for trade union work, released on Thursday by the All-China Federation of Trade Unions, lays out 12 specific targets across eight areas, ranging from master craftsman cultivation and model-worker innovation studios to skills development and employment assistance.

The plan explicitly addresses the challenges facing food delivery riders, couriers, truck and ride-hailing drivers, as they have become an indispensable force in the operation of the digital economy and society.

To tackle long-standing concerns over pay, working conditions and social protection, the plan urges platform companies to engage in collective bargaining and pursue outcomes that benefit both platforms and their workers.

Li Yi, deputy director of the federation's research office, said negotiations over platform algorithms and labor rules will remain a top priority. The plan also calls for expanding the occupational injury insurance system and ensuring that gig and flexible workers have access to employee social insurance.

Targeted services are also on the table: special health checkups and mutual aid for accidental injuries. In parallel, the trade unions will push for better supporting policies on occupational injury protection and skill-level certification for these workers, according to the plan.

Over the next five years, the federation aims to sign up at least 7.5 million new union members from the gig economy, it said.

Wang Hailong, deputy director of the federation's rights protection department, said the federation will continue to advance negotiations on platform labor rules and algorithms this year.

In March, the trade unions and other central government departments issued a guideline on platform labor rules and algorithm negotiations, offering operational templates for platform companies to set up dialogue mechanisms with unions and worker representatives, Wang said.

The talks are expected to hone in on five issues that matter most to workers: how orders are assigned, how pay and commission are calculated, working hours and rest breaks, time estimates and route planning, as well as performance assessment and penalty rules, he said.

This year, the trade unions planned to help 18 major platform companies hold companywide negotiation meetings and sign formal agreements, covering an estimated 25 million gig workers. To make sure the deals deliver real change, local unions will monitor compliance and push for "secondary negotiations" at branch offices and key partner firms, so that the benefits reach the front line.

Zheng Xuanbo, vice-chairman of the federation, said trade unions at all levels have made notable progress in organizing and serving gig workers, including those in ride-hailing, trucking, delivery and courier services. To date, unions have built 150,000 service stations and more than 10,000 "driver homes" across the country, effectively addressing pressing day-today challenges such as access to rest, drinking water, device charging and toilet facilities, he said.

Beyond gig workers, the plan set ambitious goals for upgrading China's industrial workforce. It aims to foster roughly 1,000 nationally recognized master craftsmen, 5,000 provincial-level craftsmen and 25,000 municipal-level craftsmen by 2030. The total number of innovation studios run by model workers and craftsmen is targeted at 160,000.

Over the five-year period, 3 million industrial workers will receive government-backed support to enhance their vocational skills and educational qualifications. The plan also pledged to deliver no fewer than 15 million online and offline employment services each year.

zoushuo@chinadaily.com.cn