European Trade Union Institute (ETUI)

'The #EU trilogue on the revision of the #EuropeanWorksCouncils Directive has just started, and EWCs need stronger rights!' ✊ ⚖️ Big turnout today at the annual conference of the European Worker Participation Competence Centre (EWPCC), which assists workers' representatives and #TradeUnions in their support of #DemocracyAtWork 'EWCs are one way in which Europe is growing together' Aline Hoffmann (ETUI) welcomes the audience of #EWC & trade union reps and researchers with an overview of the state of play regarding the Directive revision and a presentation of the rich data that the ETUI has been collecting on EWCs, key information and consultation mechanisms for collectively representing the European workforce 📊 Thanks to our guests Isabelle Schömann (CES - ETUC Deputy General Secretary), Adam Pokorny (Head of Working Conditions Unit, DG Employment, European Commission) and Rudi Kennes (MEP The Left in the European Parliament) for a lively discussion about what stakeholders want to see from the Directive revision and, in particular, the concerns about enforcement and #deregulation 'It's been a long journey to finalise this, and the outcome of this trilogue cannot be a status quo nor a regression' (Isabelle Schömann) Take a look at our EWC database portal here 🔗 ewcdb.eu/ Our recently revamped 'Worker Participation' website here 🔗 worker-participation.eu/ Info on the European Worker Participation Competence Centre 🔗 https://lnkd.in/gvnWvYmx Our 'Democracy at work' page for all our latest publications on this topic 🔗 etui.org/Z6A The 'Transnational Restructuring Navigator', a practical online and interactive guide for trade unions and worker representatives in multinational companies 🔗 https://lnkd.in/egcJVQ7j

The growing impact of digital technology, generative AI and algorithmic management on work is an increasingly widely explored topic. Last week during the two-day conference ‘Future of Work: Reclaiming the value of work in the digital economy’, researchers from across Europe gathered to present their work and exchange views. It was organised by both the research group of the ERC project ‘Respect Me “ and the European Trade Union Institute (ETUI). In this blog (link in comments), I look back at the discussions and my own contribution on an upcoming paper on the Living Tariff methodology. with mentions of the work of Valeria Pulignano, Jeroen Meijerink, Uma Rani, Annarosa Pesole, María Luz Rodríguez Fernández, Virginia Doellgast, Silvia Borelli and WageIndicator Foundation.

'When we fight, we win!' ✊ Our #WorkerParticipation conference on #EuropeanWorksCouncils is drawing to a close after its second day of discussions and workshops 🗣️ The focus of this year's edition of the annual conference has been laser-focused on the #EWC Directive revision currently undergoing the #EU trilogue process ⚖️ The closing (all-women! 👏) panel has brought together voices from the European sectoral #TradeUnion federations to discuss 'where do we go from here?', with representatives from 🏭 industry, 🧑💼 services, 🛒 commerce, 🥕 agriculture, 🏖️ tourism, 🚉 transport and 👷 construction Key issues on the table: ⚖️ The need for stronger enforcement mechanisms ⚖️ Remembering that a Directive is a minimum standard and not a maximum - companies can go beyond ⚖️ Addressing the challenges of diverse transnational corporate structures, such as franchises, that can escape the requirements to set up an #EWC Take a look at our EWC database portal here 🔗 ewcdb.eu/ Info on the European Worker Participation Competence Centre 🔗 https://lnkd.in/gvnWvYmx Our #DemocracyAtWork page for all our latest publications on this topic 🔗 etui.org/Z6A

What's it like to be a mobile worker in the #EU, crossing borders for temporary employment? From #SeasonalWorkers to #DigitalNomads, what kind of legal, economic and social challenges do they face? 📕 This conference in March will launch a new ETUI book, 'Moving under the radar: ongoing challenges for short-term intra-EU mobility', with discussions on the book's findings between the editors and authors and key policy stakeholders More info and registration link here 🔗 etui.org/Z6d Register before 4 March!

⌛ Last week to register! 👇

Spain takes a step towards greater #WorkplaceDemocracy ✊ 🗞️ ETUI senior researcher Sara Lafuente was at the Spanish Ministry of Labour last week as a member of the newly formed Expert Commission on #DemocracyAtWork The Commission is mandated with developing a strategy for the effective development of greater #WorkerParticipation, a principle which exists in the Spanish Constitution ⚖️ See below for some of the press coverage en español! 🔗 https://lnkd.in/eGh2sn_2 🔗https://lnkd.in/e9EtxZFP 🔗 https://lnkd.in/ejMqefWK

💡 Last week, the policy team of FES Future of Work attended the European Trade Union Institute (ETUI) conference on the Future of Work: Reclaiming the Value of Work in the Digital Economy. 👉 https://lnkd.in/dedAGHEK The conference examined the impact of digital technology, generative AI, and algorithmic management on work, with a particular focus on job quality. A key question was whether current frameworks for understanding decent and precarious work, as well as assessing labour market fairness, job quality, industrial relations, and regulatory approaches, effectively capture the digital transformation of work.   Several summary points from the plenary and breakout sessions:   💡  While the drive to optimize work has long been present, the emergence of algorithmic systems and technology has made it increasingly important to examine their impact on working conditions.   💡Transparency also entails participation; it goes beyond merely understanding how AI systems function. This is particularly important given the increasing technical reliance on those who develop AI systems.   💡  Examples of the platformisation of domestic work in Europe, as we also showed in our previous studies. 👉 https://lnkd.in/drehN8gd 👉https://lnkd.in/dtViEyyD   💡The session on regulating AI – the role of legislation and social dialogue – was particularly thought-provoking, as it presented compelling examples of company-level agreements that regulate the use of AI in the workplace (e.g., IBM Germany). We also grad that the FES Future of Work – UNI Europa research project was mentioned 👉 https://lnkd.in/dQYt4YTJ Diletta Porcheddu, Sara Prosdocimi, José Luis Gallegos, Tobias Kaempf, Claudia Marà

📣 New etui.podcast episode! What is the place for social and environmental policy in a #security-conscious Europe? And where does the #TradeUnion movement fit in? 🎙️ Listen to the interview with Christophe Degryse here 🔗 etui.org/Z6M 

Simplify does not mean deregulate! 🇪🇺 The Commission has presented its 2025 work programme. Whilst the prospect of 'A Bolder, Simpler, Faster Union' is enticing, can the KISS – keep it simple, stupid – principle be overdone? 🗞️ Read the latest Progressive Post's article by Andrew Watt, General Director at the European Trade Union Institute (ETUI)

Just finished super interesting and well attended European Trade Union Institute (ETUI) CES - ETUC EWC agreement improvement workshop, dedicated to increasing EWC impact through legal position upgrade. 40 top league participants from 13 countries and 34 MNCs making the difference at EU level. Proud to co-host, with Romek Jagodziński & Stefan Gran