The work-related (in)securities of migrant platform workers: the case of food delivery in Warsaw, Poland

Introduction: Within the rapidly developing academic debate on the working conditions of migrant platform workers, issues concerning work-related security have received little attention. The article addresses the life experiences of food delivery workers and the ambiguity and complexity of how, and among whom, this type of work is arranged. It also scrutinises the practices that characterise this sector and how it links to the labour market, employment, jobs, work, skill reproduction, income, representation, security and social rights, as well as health and safety protection.Objective: To examine the narratives of foreign platform workers on their sense of work-related security and coping strategies.Materials and methods: The article relied on an analysis of 29 in-depth interviews with migrant food delivery drivers working in Warsaw, conducted between August 2024 and May 2025.Results: Migrant platform workers face poor working and employment arrangements in their daily experience and find themselves in a vulnerable position on the labour market. Our study reveals that our participants face severe job and employment insecurities due to their specific status within the labour market, as well as the lack of Polish language proficiency and information about their rights. It also sheds light on the role of fleet partners and the structural challenges that leave migrant workers without social protection or support in the event of work-related accidents.