Trade Unions and Platform Workers in the UK: Worker Representation in the Shadow of the Law

Abstract Drawing on a series of interviews with key actors including representatives the main trade unions, this paper considers response unions in UK to emergence and growth platform work. Comparing partly different strategies adopted by traditional alternative respect representation workers’ interests, it demonstrates that unions’ choices have been shaped characteristics resources themselves, prevailing political conditions and, perhaps above all, restrictive legal framework excludes many workers from scope employment legislation. Without recourse either legally protected freedom take industrial action or statutory recognition procedure, only exceptionally able negotiate collective agreements behalf workers. Instead, focussed broader fight precariousness, wielding an influence policymaking, especially through their relations Labour Party. Alternative channelled into organising mobilising supporting them campaigning, protesting bringing strategic litigation.