The company Uber in Mexico expressed its position against the government's proposals to regulate the labor situation of its drivers and delivery workers. Nicolás Sánchez, director of Public Affairs at Uber, pointed out in an interview with El Universal that the government decision to consider platform workers as subordinate employees is not the best strategy. According to Sánchez, in Uber Mexico only 7% of its collaborators work 48 hours a week and they propose taking as a reference models from other countries such as the United Kingdom, India, or Chile, where the figure of 'platform worker' has been created.
In contrast to the Mexican proposal, Uber highlights the negative case of Spain, where the regulations have turned Uber drivers into employees with certain restrictions on their working hours and minimum connection required. Despite agreeing with the idea of providing benefits to their workers, the company believes that the current government approach is based on concepts of subordination that could harm the labor flexibility offered by digital platforms.
In response to labor demands, the government of Claudia Sheinbaum proposed in Mexico that those workers of applications earning a minimum wage will have access to benefits from the Mexican Social Security Institute (IMSS), which include protection against workplace risks, accident and illness insurance, maternity leave, childcare services, and pensions. It is estimated that around 272,000 workers, equivalent to 41% of them, could benefit from this regulation.
In light of these measures, Uber warns that offering social security to its employees could significantly increase service rates, by up to 40 or 50 percent, which would affect end users. Nicolás Sánchez considers that excessive regulation could reduce the demand for transportation and delivery services through applications, which could negatively impact the entire labor ecosystem involved in these digital platforms.
