'Pay to play': New gig worker payment model sparks debate
A new subscription model in South Asia is making gig workers, like app-based drivers, pay companies just for access to work apps—sometimes for as little as 6 hours or up to a month.
The International Alliance of App-Based Transport Workers (IAATW) says this could hit marginalized workers hardest.
IAATW's Shaik Salauddin said this payment structure threatens the most vulnerable, noting it isn't covered by upcoming international labor rules.
How platforms treat workers is changing fast
This flips the usual script: instead of companies paying drivers, drivers now pay companies just to get gigs.
While Malaysia and India are rolling out new laws to protect gig workers—like social security funds and official worker status—the IAATW warns these subscription fees could undo those gains by shifting costs onto people who can least afford it.
How platforms treat their workers is changing fast, and this debate will shape what "fair work" looks like across Asia.