Page 8 - Voice and representation of platform driver in VietNam

2 INTRODUCTION

in the capital Hanoi, the central city of Danang and the the drivers and riders randomly at departure points
southern metropolis of Ho Chi Minh City at the same and between rides for interviews. The identities of all
time. These collective actions were used to bargain respondents is kept confidential.
collectively with platform companies with regards to
a profit-sharing formula between the platform and The total survey population is 355 people, comprised of
workers. Since 2014, these spontaneous and informal 81 car-drivers and 274 bike-riders. With the estimated
collective actions, repeated at different scales almost population of drivers and riders in the top five ride-
every time the platform companies adjusted their hailing platforms (Grab, GoViet, FastGo, Be, and MyGo)
profit-sharing formulas and bonus systems, showed being 170,000 and 400,000 respectively , the sample
7
that these so-called independent contractors may not for the car-drivers has a confidence level of 90 percent
be fully content with the ‘flexibility’ system provided by and an error margin of 0.09, while the sample of bike-
the platforms. Instead, this action amplified their need riders reached a confidence level of 95 percent and an
for a voice, representation and collective bargaining to error margin of 0.06. As Grab accounts for a 70 percent
protect their own interests. market share, the same percentage of sample sizes was
allocated to it. Among bike-riders, 10.6 percent are
This research, therefore, will examine the needs, women. However, no female car-driver was reached by
prospects and strategies employed by platform drivers the survey. There are no statistics on female participation
in voicing their opinions, organising and bargaining in these ride-hailing platforms. However, according to
collectively with platform companies. In particular, the a survey by Grab in 2020 covering more than 7,000
study also investigates the relationships between the partner drivers and riders, women accounted for only
drivers/riders and technology companies, the structural 1.4 percent of the platform partner population (Grab
and institutional challenges for platform drivers in 2020).
protecting and advancing their interests as well as
examining the possible models for workers’ voice and Based on the survey sample, the research team selected
representation. 10 drivers and riders for in-depth interviews. These
drivers and riders were either the de facto leaders of
Methodology strikes or were active in organising and representing
Survey of Platform Drivers and Riders in Hanoi and Ho Chi the platform workers’ voices. The interviews focused
Minh city on the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and their
perspectives of channels to voice workers’ needs inside
and outside of the platforms. In-depth interviews
were also conducted with the head of platform rider
FM: 10.6% syndicates (‘nghiep doan xe om cong nghe’) in Ho Chi
Minh City, the management of a major platform service
Hanoi: 62% provider and labour administrators from MOLISA and
this southern city’s DOLISA.
274 HCMC: 38%

M: 100%

Hanoi: 66.7%

81 HCMC: 33.3%

The research is primarily based on a survey of platform
car-drivers and bike-riders in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh
City, the two biggest local markets for ride-hailing
services. While the drivers are all engaged in ride-
hailing services, the bike-riders work in ride-hailing and
delivery. The survey was conducted between December
2020 and February 2021. Interviewers approached

7 Estimations based on the platforms’ public information by the end of 2019.

Voice and representation of platform drivers in Vietnam