Dr. Barbara Švagan attended the 8th Conference of the International Network on Digital Labor (INDL-8), held at the University of Bologna from September 10 to 12, 2025. At the conference, she presented a poster titled The Role of Income Dependence on the Health and Safety of Food Delivery Couriers, prepared in collaboration with Dr. Suzana Laporšek.

 

Their research examined how the level of income dependence on platform work affects the health and safety of food delivery couriers. The findings indicate that couriers who rely more heavily on this source of income tend to work longer hours and more intensively, which increases the risk of injuries and traffic accidents. At the same time, these workers generally report lower satisfaction with their earnings and working conditions.

 

In addition to academics, the conference also brought together activists, lawyers, students, and platform workers from around the world, offering participants valuable insights into the current challenges of platform labor and new perspectives on how this field is evolving in the age of artificial intelligence.