UNIONISATION RIGHTS OF PLATFORM WORKERS IN MALAYSIA: A LEGAL PERSPECTIVE

Abstract

Digital platforms have transformed traditional business models, fostering communication, innovation, and flexibility across industries. The growth of digital labour platforms expands job options through greater internet access and remote work. The active participation of platform workers has further driven this expansion due to the flexibility and variety of job opportunities available. However, platform workers are facing various labour issues, including inconsistent payment, unfair account suspensions, and inadequate compensation while working on the digital labour platform. The current regulatory framework prohibits platform workers from forming and joining trade unions, hindering platform workers’s rights to unionise and directly affecting their chance to improve their employment contract. This study examines the issues faced by platform workers and recommends improvements that can be made to the current regulatory framework to improve the association rights of platform workers in Malaysia. A qualitative research method in the form of a semi-structured interview with platform workers and the committee member of the E-Hailing Coalition Malaysia is conducted. Content analysis is used to examine parliamentary statutes, academic articles and interview feedback to identify key themes and patterns in the study. The findings reveal gaps in current legal protections and suggest recommendations for reclassifying platform workers as employees to ensure they can engage in collective bargaining and protect their labour rights. This study contributes to the growing discourse on digital labour platforms by advocating for policy reforms that foster a more equitable, sustainable, and just working environment for platform workers in Malaysia.