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Spain

In this second Fairwork report by the Spanish team, seven platforms have been analysed using the Fairwork project’s methodology and principles. Five of the platforms were already examined in the first report published in 2024, and two are analysed here for the first time. For the second time, in the food delivery sector, the platforms Glovo and Just Eat were analysed; in the ride hailing sector, Uber and Cabify; and in the maintenance and moving services sector, Taskrabbit. The platforms Cuideo, in the home-based elderly care sector, and Livo, linked to the hospital nursing sector, have been studied for the first time.

Although the report has detected some improvements on certain platforms compared to the previous year (in terms of minimum wages and fair management, for example), the majority of these companies were unable to demonstrate a minimum standard of fair work.

In summary, the Spanish context reflects significant progress in the transition toward an employment-based model of platform work. However, structural challenges persist, including the outsourcing or subcontracting of work management, the fragmentation of employer responsibilities, low wages, and algorithmic opacity. While formalization under an employment-based model is necessary, it represents only a starting point for establishing fairer employment relationships within the platform economy.

The Spanish context reflects significant progress in the transition toward an employment-based model of platform work. However, structural challenges persist, including the outsourcing or subcontracting of work management, the fragmentation of employer responsibilities, low wages, and algorithmic opacity. While formalization under an employment-based model is necessary, it represents only a starting point for establishing fairer employment relationships within the platform economy.

Alberto Riesco-Sanz
Professor of Sociology of Work, Universidad Complutense de Madrid (UCM)

Alberto Riesco-Sanz

The platform economy is firmly established in Spain, although it is currently undergoing significant transformations. Its presence is not limited to the most well-known sectors, such as food delivery or ride-hailing. Platforms such as Livo (hospital nursing) and Cuideo (care for dependent persons) illustrate this diversification, demonstrating that the platformisation of work extends beyond male-dominated, low-skilled, or consumer-oriented sectors.

Francisco Tovar-Martínez
Professor of Sociology, Universidad Complutense de Madrid (UCM)

Francisco Tovar-Martínez

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