Page 18 - Voice and representation of platform driver in VietNam

12 CHAPTER 3: Loyalty, exit or voice? Platform workers’ organising strategies

CHAPTER 3: LOYALTY, EXIT OR VOICE? PLATFORM WORKERS’
ORGANISING STRATEGIES

3.1. Platform drivers’ responses to dissatisfaction “The hotlines via the app are not good. They give
me automatic answers. So what we would do is to
Hirschman (1970) categorises three categories of file our complaints over the app and fix a date when
employees’ responses to job dissatisfaction, namely: (i) we would meet with the platform people in their
Loyalty – sticking to the firm, accepting the situation office. Then, they were prepared and they would
and hoping for improvement, (ii) Voice – attempts offer us a thorough response.”
to change the situation by a range of actions from
appeals to protests and (iii) Exit – voluntary separation
or turnover from the job. Although these categories “I raised my feedback over the app that I rejected
emerged from and have been mainly applied to workers the order because there were more passengers than
in traditional sectors, they provide a useful framework allowed but the platform did not respond.”
for analysing the responses of platform drivers to
technology companies. “If we make complaints, we may get blacklisted.
Our orders will be reduced. If we strike, they [the
platforms] will monitor our registration numbers
As shown in Figure 7, the overall satisfaction rate of
the surveyed workers is not high – standing at 2.91 and we may get deactivated permanently. I know
out of five. Car-drivers were more satisfied with the some riders who posted complaints on social media
platforms than bike-riders (3.17 vs. 2.84). Among the and their apps were deactivated.”
three biggest platforms, Go-Viet earned the highest
“We complained about the new [bonus] policy but
satisfaction rate among its peers, while Grab had the Figure 7: Satisfaction rates of platform drivers/riders with their platforms (max.: 5.0)
lowest. they [the platform representatives] replied if you do
not accept it, you can quit! We are the underdogs,
4
we can not do anything.” 3.34
Figure 7: Satisfaction rates of platform drivers/riders with 3.5 3.17 3.21
their platforms (max.: 5.0) 3 2.91 2.84
2.66
It
Figure 7: Satisfaction rates of platform drivers/riders with their platforms (max.: 5.0) is interesting to note that while nearly 40 percent
2.5
Source: Survey of Platform Drivers (n=355) of drivers chose loyalty, meaning they accepted the
4 2
current conditions and continued work, around 20
3.5 3.17 3.34 3.21 percent would exit the company and 25 percent
1.5
2.91 decided to take collective action to push for changes
1
3 2.84 2.66 (Figure 8). Collective actions have proven to be the
0.5
2.5 most effective way for drivers to push platforms into
0
2 dialogue. As shown in Figure 9, 38 percent of drivers
Car
Total
Bike
Grab
Go Viet
Be
who ever raised grievances found that the platforms
1.5 Source: Survey of Platform Drivers (n=355)
would only respond to them upon the leverage of
1 collective actions.
0.5 Figure 8: What would you do if you had a grievance (%)?
0 Figure 8: What would you do if you had a grievance (%)?
Total Car Bike Grab Go Viet Be (n=354) 37
Source: Survey of Platform Drivers (n=355) 60.00
The satisfaction rates tended to climb when the 53.95 51.41
50.00
platform companies were willing to respond properly
to drivers’ queries and grievances. In fact, more than 39.27
Figure 8: What would you do if you had a grievance (%)?
40.00
half of drivers/riders claimed they would turn to
official platform communication channels first to raise 24.86
30.00
their grievances before resorting to other measures 19.21
60.00 20.00
(Figure 8). However, among drivers who raised their
53.95
51.41
grievances, only 18 percent received prompt and
50.00 10.00
satisfactory responses from the platforms (Figure 9).
39.27
40.00 In the meantime, 22 percent got no response and 18 0.00
Using the
percent received automatic or general replies: Accept Quit for another Discuss with peers platform's Collective actions
platform
30.00 24.86 grievance channels
19.21
20.00
37 Note that in this question, the respondents could choose more than one option.
10.00
0.00
Accept Quit for another Discuss with peers Using the Collective actions
platform platform's
grievance channels
Voice and representation of platform drivers in Vietnam