News

Gojek offered some insight into how we might go about bolstering social security for gig workers ( , Dec 3). One basic principle of the Central Provident Fund (CPF) is that of shared responsibility between employers and employees, within the framework of their relationship with consumers. It would be inequitable to place any prospective burden on just one point of the stakeholder triangle and not on the other two. If Gojek’s operating margins are insufficient to cover the employer CPF contribution, it must devise a new revenue structure in consultation with both drivers and paying passengers. Thus, the deficit that Gojek describes could perhaps be bridged through a combination of slightly reduced margins for the ride-hailing service, higher commission rates and a modest increase in fares. Compromise and contributions from all sides would work to the ultimate benefit of drivers and their retirement savings, without disproportionately hurting consumer and business interests.