Indonesia Can Emulate China! Ride-Hailing Drivers to Receive Minimum Wage and Working Hour Limits

New regulations enhancing protections for digital platform workers, known as gig workers—including online drivers, couriers, and livestream hosts—have been implemented in China. These rules include provisions on wages and working hours. Regarding wages, the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the State Council mandate that gig workers receive at least the local minimum wage, formerly referred to as UMR in Indonesia. Platforms are also required to provide reasonable additional pay when workers operate on holidays. Service providers must negotiate with unions or gig worker representatives to determine maximum consecutive order acceptance times and daily working hours. Additionally, apps must stop dispatching new orders once these limits are reached for drivers, and notifications reminding workers to rest are sent, as cited from The Next Web on Friday (1/5/2026). The regulations also cover the creation of employment contracts when work relationship conditions are met; if not, workers must sign written agreements outlining terms. Companies are obligated to seek worker input when formulating or revising labour regulations. These latest regulations represent a breakthrough, given that online service systems often compel workers to maximise productivity without prioritising safety principles. A 2020 report from Renwu magazine revealed how algorithms at Meituan and Ele.me shortened delivery times, forcing couriers to run red lights, drive against traffic, and sprint up stairs. Payments are calculated based on daily order averages, timeliness, customer ratings, and complaints. The system clearly endangers drivers or online couriers, potentially leading to injury or death while working. The Next Web notes that in the first half of 2027 in Shanghai, a delivery worker was injured or killed every 2.5 days. In Chengdu, there were 10,000 traffic violations by delivery workers in the first seven months of 2018, with 196 accidents recorded and 155 injuries or deaths. A food delivery worker in Hangzhou was found unconscious and died after working 18 hours in September 2024.