WageIndicator

During Meta's withdrawal from Kenya, WageIndicator and the Data Labelers Association conducted a survey examining the working conditions and pay of Kenyan workers in the global AI supply chain. More than 1,000 Kenyan workers were suddenly made redundant after Meta terminated its contract with a Nairobi-based company.
The preliminary results of the survey are stark. None of the women surveyed earned above the Living Tariff. A Living Tariff includes not only the daily living expenses, but also the cost of resources required for work, such as work equipment costs, overhead costs, taxes, social security, and savings in case of illness and retirement. Nine out of ten respondents said they were concerned about their future. Some workers reported working 229 hours in a month, and on average women did 20 hours of unpaid work in a month.
As Edwin, one of the workers we spoke to, puts it: 'These tech companies are providing us with work. They need to find out exactly what the working conditions and pay are.' Edwin and thousands of other data workers like him in Kenya have invested years of their lives in this indispensable yet overlooked work. Companies and users often forget that without them, the AI tools we use every day won't function.

Read the full article at https://wageindicator.org/what-we-do/news-stories/meta-data-workers-kenya-survey/?utm_campaign=GIG-26&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook&utm_content=insights-carousel-caption

Reminder: the Call for Papers is now open for the 2nd International Conference: Work, Wages and Workforce.

We are looking for papers that explore labour-market dynamics, wage setting, collective bargaining, Living Wages, platform work, social security, and other key issues shaping the future of work.

📍 FLAME University, Pune, India
📅 30 November - 1 December 2026
🗓️ Abstract submission deadline: 31 July 2026
Know someone working in this area? Tag them below or share this opportunity with your network.

Read more info: https://wageindicator.org/what-we-do/events/2nd-international-conference-work-wages-and-workforce-2026?utm_campaign=Events-26&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook&utm_content=reminder-caption

Do you want to start paying your employees a Living Wage? Great! But what's the difference between a Living Wage policy and a Living Wage strategy? What guidelines can you use to develop a solid plan?

Join the June Living Wage Info Session to get the best insights and practical advice from the WageIndicator experts. Companies working on this topic are highly encouraged to participate and share their experience.

Register now at https://wageindicator.org/what-we-do/events/living-wage-strategy-guidelines-2026?utm_campaign=Events-26&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook&utm_content=static-caption

The International Labour Conference in Geneva, scheduled for June 1-12, will feature a draft convention for platform workers on its agenda. This could be a game-changer for the future of gig work across the world.
The good news is that we don't have to wait for a signed international convention to start delivering better conditions for platform workers today. Regulatory models introduced across Australia, Colombia and New York City offer powerful, real-world blueprints.
Australia looks to set to introduce a minimum safety net rate of AU$31.30 an hour for food delivery workers from 1 July 2026.
Colombia passed Law 2466, guaranteeing all platform delivery workers access to health insurance and occupational risk coverage for the first time.
In New York City, a utilisation rate for drivers ensures they are compensated for waiting time, not just active rides.
As Jack Boutros from the Transport Workers' Union Australia puts it: "It is not individual companies that should set a good example; the market floor needs to be raised."
WageIndicator's Living Tariff Tool gives policymakers, unions and workers a clear, localised picture of what fair pay for gig workers actually looks like. It is a minimum floor. And for the millions of platform workers earning far below it, it would represent a life-changing improvement.

Read the full article at https://wageindicator.org/what-we-do/news-stories/success-stories-blueprints-and-a-vital-tool-for-improving-gig-economy-work?utm_campaign=GIG-26&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook&utm_content=ilo-static-caption

When companies talk about Living Wages, transparency matters.

In our latest Living Wage Info Session, Daniela Ceccon shared five practical questions investors can ask to better understand whether a Living Wage claim is backed by data, clear definitions and a credible plan.

Read the full discussion: https://wageindicator.org/what-we-do/news-stories/expert-interviews/living-wages-investors-companies?utm_campaign=LW-26&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook&utm_content=insights-carousel-caption

Do you want to start paying your employees a Living Wage? Great!
But what's the difference between a Living Wage policy and a Living Wage strategy? What guidelines can you use to develop a solid plan?

Join the June Living Wage info session to get the best insights and practical advice from the WageIndicator experts.

Companies working on this topic are highly encouraged to participate and share their experience.

12 June 2026 | 11:00 - 12:00 PM CET | Online

Sign up now: https://wageindicator.org/what-we-do/events/living-wage-strategy-guidelines-2026?utm_campaign=Events-26&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook&utm_content=announcement-caption

A minimum wage for gig workers sounds like an obvious win. But what if it actually costs some of them their jobs?
Researchers at Delft University of Technology used computer simulations to find out. The conclusion: a fair wage is possible, but it requires bold political decisions.

They tested three scenarios: a minimum rate lower than the minimum wage, a rate equal to the minimum wage, and a higher rate. A tariff equal to the minimum wage proved to work best. But a minimum rate that is too high has the opposite effect. "What companies then do is restrict access to a select group of drivers based on algorithms. For the individual driver who suddenly can no longer log in, it's terrible; they lose their job and income from one day to the next."

The key lesson? "Don't just change the regulations, but take into account the complexity of the system. A measure intended for one party has a direct effect on the rest of the stakeholders."

WageIndicator's Martijn Arets explored this with researcher Farnoud Ghasemi on The Gig Work Podcast. Listen now on Spotify.

https://open.spotify.com/episode/3xGhcgxIO5c0qifw4spWxI?si=ijVtPeFNQQKkGNxhQnR_zw

How can binding agreements be negotiated with platforms regarding minimum standards for platform workers?

In a recent WageIndicator webinar, researcher Alex Veen from the University of Sydney and Jack Boutros from the Transport Workers' Union in Australia shared their experiences. Their story offers an interesting alternative perspective. Not because Australia has found the answer, but because there, a fundamentally different choice has been made. The focus was not on whether platform workers are employees or self-employed. The question was: what minimum standards are needed to ensure a sector functions sustainably and safely? That may sound like a subtle difference, but it has major consequences.

Swipe through for the five lessons the rest of the world can learn from Australia.

https://wageindicator.org/what-we-do/news-stories/platform-work-australia-regulation?utm_campaign=GIG-26&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook&utm_content=carousel-caption

Suriname is not just one country, but many. From the coast to the interior, cost of living data in Suriname reflects different shopping habits and perceptions of what constitutes a decent life.

Tesora, one of WageIndicator's 400 data collectors, has spent years studying this data and turning price tags into evidence. "Being aware that this data can improve policies or drive change in any other field is really rewarding," she says.

The data she and her colleagues collect tells a clear story: the gap between Suriname's Minimum Wage and a Living Wage is significant. And behind every number is a real person trying to make ends meet.

Read Tesora’s full story at https://wageindicator.org/what-we-do/news-stories/cost-of-living-suriname?utm_campaign=LW-26&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook&utm_content=data-collector-suriname