Thank you, Deputy President. The platform economy has become increasingly popular, while takeaway and online shopping platforms in Hong Kong have developed rapidly during the COVID-19 epidemic. However, there are still problems in various aspects. Platform companies have not established traditional employment relationships with platform workers. Platform workers have been regarded as self-employed and are therefore not protected by the Employment Ordinance.
The Government can assist in the formulation of a standard contract to protect platform workers, the content of which can cover the protection for platform workers. Besides, illegal workers have caused a lot of frustration to legitimate platform workers. As at the end of May 2024, the Security Bureau prosecuted a total of 377 illegal workers and 70 employers, which was comparable to the prosecution of 109 employers for the whole year of 2023, reflecting that the problem of illegal employment still exists and we must rigorously combat it.
It has been reported that some people use the identity cards of their fellow townsmen or relatives and friends to register as delivery workers in the form of “subcontracting”, and the “subcontractors” take orders as delivery workers and send mobile phone screenshots with details of the delivery orders to their illegal workers to deliver the food, which seriously affects market order and makes it difficult for legitimate platform workers to earn a living. It is necessary to optimize the platform system to ensure that platform workers can compete on a level playing field and that they abide by the rules set out in the standard contract formulated by the Government, so as to protect their rights and interests.
I suggest that the Government should regularly conduct law enforcement operations and strengthen regulatory and enforcement actions to ensure that all platform workers can work under a framework that complies with laws and regulations. This will not only ensure market fairness, but also enhance the overall service quality and promote the healthy development of the industry. The Government should also require the platforms concerned to fulfil their responsibilities of conducting due diligence. At present, some delivery workers are still using unofficial documents such as “going-out pass” for visitor registration. Property management companies or security guards are also obliged to prohibit the use of documents other than Hong Kong identity cards for visitor registration, so as to prevent illegal workers from entering the industry.
On the other hand, platform companies should adopt measures to prohibit platform workers from renting out their accounts. In addition to conducting regular checks and increasing penalties, the platforms concerned can introduce a multi-layered authentication system, including the use of technologies such as facial recognition and fingerprint recognition to ensure that the delivery worker is the account holder every time he/she accepts an order. The platforms concerned may also provide a user feedback mechanism, for example by displaying profile pictures of platform workers in the platform software, so that customers can easily identify them and the platforms can follow up on any irregularities detected.
An algorithm for fair allocation of orders should be developed. The order acceptance rate will have a direct impact on the income of platform workers and their chances of receiving delivery orders, while an extremely low acceptance rate will result in the freezing of accounts. The platforms will have two types of delivery workers, namely couriers and riders. Some platform workers have reported that couriers and riders receive orders with the same delivery distance, but the earnings per order of riders are often higher than those of couriers, leading to disputes. Only when there is a fair allocation of orders can we increase worker satisfaction and motivation. If workers realize that they have equal opportunities to work, it will help to reduce wastage. I believe it will definitely improve the service quality and the overall service standards of the platforms as well as user satisfaction.
The platform economy has become a global trend and has changed the living and consumption patterns of consumers. This trend has not only promoted the development of the catering and retail industries, but also created many employment opportunities. Platform workers can flexibly arrange their work and life by working flexible hours and engaging in different types of work. In parallel with its rapid development, the industry is also facing challenges such as illegal employment, unfair competition and problems in providing adequate protection for workers. Only if the Government and enterprises make joint efforts to address these issues can we promote the long-term and stable development of the industry.
Thank you, President.