From Partnership to Precarity: Economic Justice and Labor Protection in Indonesia’s Platform-Based Transport Sector

Abstract

Platform-based transport services have expanded rapidly in Indonesia, creating flexible income opportunities while simultaneously generating concerns regarding income instability, unilateral platform governance, and limited labor protection. This study examines the extent to which partnership-based contractual arrangements contribute to economic precarity among platform transport workers. The research adopts an interdisciplinary framework combining labor law, political economy, and economic justice. It analyzes contractual structures, platform governance mechanisms, social protection arrangements, and the allocation of economic risks between drivers and digital platforms. Secondary literature, regulatory documents, and publicly available evidence concerning platform work are examined to identify institutional gaps in worker protection. The study argues that the concept of partnership may produce an asymmetrical relationship when workers remain economically dependent on platforms while lacking the legal protections associated with conventional employment. From an economic justice perspective, flexibility should not be considered sufficient justification for transferring market, operational, and income risks disproportionately to workers. The study proposes that regulatory reform should focus on substantive economic dependence rather than contractual labels alone. Its contribution lies in linking the legal structure of platform work with distributive and procedural dimensions of justice. The analysis provides policy implications for developing a more balanced regulatory framework for Indonesia’s platform-based transport economy.