ABSTRACT
This chapter argues that it is possible to develop a basis for regulating work that can operate in a wide range of settings across different levels of economic development. Labour law is simply one strand in a complex mix of regulations, including municipal bylaws and sectoral economic policies, that shape the standards of living and life chances of informal workers. Laws and public policies cannot continue to draw the boundaries of labour rights and standards by reference to the contract of (formal) employment, but instead must look for functional equivalents to the institutional role that the employer played in the standard employment relationship. Collective representation of informal workers is critical both for shaping informal workers’ self-interests as workers and for aggregating and articulating their needs and interests.
