Alienated and politically disengaged? Examining platform workers’ participation in collective action

Chueri1, Bonoli2, Dimitri3 and Wilson4 1 Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam 2,3,4 University of Lausanne Platform work is frequently associated with labor market precarity, marked by unpredictable wages, irregular working hours, and income instability. Research however presents mixed findings on how platform workers interpret their precarious condition and whether these perceptions influence their involvement in collective action. Qualitative studies indicate that platform workers frequently internalize platform companies’ narratives of self-reliance, flexibility and meritocracy. This perspective is reinforced by the typically isolated nature of platform work, which encourages individualistic responses to risks, and fosters political apathy. Conversely, the literature documents diverse forms of collective action among platform workers, aimed at pushing for state regulation of the sector and pressuring employers to raise labor standards. Building on these mixed results, this study examines how platform work status is associated with participation in collective action across, and under which conditions platform workers are more likely to vote, participate in union, and protest against their working conditions. The study is based on a survey conducted across six European countries—Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom—and is complemented by data from the OECD Risks that Matter 2024 survey covering 25 OECD countries. By considering the diversity within this workforce—across occupations and socio-demographic backgrounds—as well as country-level differences in union traditions and institutional contexts, we explore the individual and institutional factors that links precarity to political engagement or apathy in this sector.