Digital Platforms and Labour Agency in the Logistics Sector: The Role of Production Network Knowledge

New intermediaries in the form of digital platforms which, in many cases, reorganise existing value chains, are increasingly emerging in various industries. However, it is apparent that platforms often operate under the radar, particularly in business-to-business (B2B) markets, and consequences are thus difficult to grasp. Work-related effects of digital platforms in B2B markets have so far received little attention in research; therefore, we examine the impact of digital B2B platforms on working conditions, and the reaction of unions and works councils to these developments. To do so, we draw on the case of the logistics sector, particularly the transport segment, in Germany, where various digital platforms have emerged in recent years. Based on qualitative interviews, we show that two types of platforms, namely digital logistics marketplaces and digital freight forwarders, as non-neutral intermediaries, have a significant impact on the industry and the actors involved. Through the price transparency they create and the responsibility they pass on, platforms are causing increased competition among carriers, resulting in lower wages and labour standards. Not only the weak bargaining power of transport workers but also the limited production network knowledge of works councils and unions about platform activities in the logistics sector constrain labour agency.