La situación de los trabajadores de plataformas digitales en el Ecuador y sus derechos laborales.

Abstract

This research paper aims to create for reflection and analysis on labor precariousness faced by those providing services through digital platforms, identified as delivery workers. These workers are not protected by regulations that safeguard their jobs and are often overlooked by the government, as they are not considered in labor policies. The rise of technological innovations has led to new business models, including the collaborative or sharing economy, which uses digitalized platforms to deliver services. The main objective of this research is to analyze the situation of platform workers in Ecuador and their labor rights based on existing literature on this subject. Relevant information is provided regarding the challenges delivery workers face in exercising their rights, given the particular limitations that hinder the full exercise of their labor rights. This issue is further complicated by the lack of a legal framework or institutions to regulate this activity, underscoring the need for appropriate regulatory framework. The “sharing economy” offered through platforms could provide a reliable basis for formalizing the relationship with delivery workers without affecting their labor rights. Therefore, one of the main challenges currently faced by collective organizations in this sector is achieving a balance between the autonomy and independence offered by the platforms and the requirements for labor rights recognition.