Lithuania’s parliament, Seimas, is considering changes to labour law that could improve working conditions, increase social protections and make pay and management decisions more transparent for thousands of drivers and couriers working through digital platforms such as Bolt, Wolt and Uber.
Around one in 10 workers in Lithuania are couriers or ride-hailing drivers providing services through such platforms. For many, the work offers a way to earn additional income, but workers say declining pay and opaque payment systems have become major concerns.
Indresh, who has lived in Lithuania for six years, said platform companies initially offered attractive pay during the Covid-19 pandemic to recruit workers but gradually found more ways to reduce earnings.
“One of the biggest problems is that there is no clear system for determining pay,” said Linas Mazgeika, head of the Platform Workers’ Trade Union.
“There is no legal agreement on specific remuneration. Whether it is payment for a particular task or an hourly rate, there is no such agreement. Platforms have the ability to regulate this issue unilaterally,” he said.
Drivers also say they can face penalties for rejecting orders. Algorithmic decisions may result in drivers receiving fewer orders for a period, reducing their income.
Platform workers have little insight into how the algorithms operate, said labour law expert Emilija Švobaitė. Automated systems can make decisions such as restricting an account, she said, potentially...
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