Mexico City, Mexico—Mexican lawmakers unanimously approved on Tuesday a reform proposal granting gig economy workers employed via digital apps more rights and benefits, including paid vacation, social security and Christmas bonuses.
The reform text, proposed by President Claudia Sheinbaum, was passed with 462 votes in favor, none against and no abstentions, according to a statement on X released by Mexico’s lower house of congress.
“The ruling marks a before and after for this labor sector, which is growing exponentially and that, until today, had been invisible,” said Maiella Gomez, a lawmaker from the ruling Morena party and president of the lower house’s Labor Commission.
The proposal will then go to the Senate, where it is expected to be easily ratified with Morena holding a large majority of the upper house.
In Mexico, more than 650,000 people are employed via digital platforms, mostly working without contracts, according to data cited by lawmakers.
Delivery and self-employed drivers make up the majority of gig economy workers hired through digital apps such as Uber or Didi.
The reform would grant the workers benefits such as profit-sharing, social security, accident insurance, compensation in the event of unjustified dismissal, housing and pension rights.
It would also recognize gig workers’ right to unionize, to take part in collective bargaining with their employer, and to strike, lawmakers said.
The text specifies that the employers are the people or companies that own and run the platforms, not individual users hiring workers.
“Users, consumers or beneficiaries of tasks, services and jobs will not be considered as employers of people on digital platforms,” the bill reads.
The business model of digital platforms, which rely on independent workers without contracts, has been called into question in recent years in a growing number of countries.
Last week, Spanish home delivery platform Glovo granted employee status to its drivers, after the government fined it for violating labor laws by using self-employed workers.
