PROJECT REFERENCE
VS/2019/0081 “Irel- Smarter Industrial relations to address new technological challenges in the world of work” (March 2019 to February 2021), co-funded by the European Commission, DG EMPL, under the Budget Heading 04.03.01.08 Improving expertise in the field of industrial relations
-
This project aims at analysing the way industrial relations and social dialogue are coping with the problems that arise from the transformation of employment patterns prompted by technological innovation, with a particular concern for the so-called “digital revolution”.
The impact of the digital technologies on working conditions and on the employment contract has been studied from manifold but fragmentary perspectives. What has been missing so far is instead a comprehensive and cross-sectoral analysis of the phenomenon of the digital transformation as a whole, aimed at shedding light on its implications on the configuration of the workplace, on the organization of production processes, and on the role that social partners can play in regulating and managing the impact of such innovations on working conditions, productivity and the competitiveness of European companies.
Objectives
This project aims at analysing the way industrial relations and social dialogue are coping with the problems that arise from the transformation of employment patterns prompted by technological innovation, with a particular concern for the so-called “digital revolution”.
The impact of the digital technologies on working conditions and on the employment contract has been studied from manifold but fragmentary perspectives. What has been missing so far is instead a comprehensive and cross-sectoral analysis of the phenomenon of the digital transformation as a whole, aimed at shedding light on its implications on the configuration of the workplace, on the organization of production processes, and on the role that social partners can play in regulating and managing the impact of such innovations on working conditions, productivity and the competitiveness of European companies.
-
At the micro level, the digital transformation poses a double challenge for trade unions and employee representation bodies. On the one hand, it calls into question their capacity (as well as their legal entitlement) to intercept and mobilize the newest expressions of collective interests, linked to the “virtual” workplaces and to platform-mediated work. On the other hand, it puts under strain the social partners’ active role in overseeing and influencing the adjustment of organizational and business models of the company.
At the macro level, the implementation of the various initiatives aimed at supporting the technological innovation of undertakings and production systems raise the problem of how to enact labour market policies capable of preventing technological unemployment and managing the social consequences of the digital restructuring of the companies, in case it entails redundancies or reallocations of plants. Against this background, social dialogue may represent a key factor to tackle such risks, working together with policy-makers to anticipate change by means of appropriate education and training initiatives, and to set up programmes aimed at facilitating the swift reallocation in the labour market of those affected by technological unemployment.
Rationale
At the micro level, the digital transformation poses a double challenge for trade unions and employee representation bodies. On the one hand, it calls into question their capacity (as well as their legal entitlement) to intercept and mobilize the newest expressions of collective interests, linked to the “virtual” workplaces and to platform-mediated work. On the other hand, it puts under strain the social partners’ active role in overseeing and influencing the adjustment of organizational and business models of the company.
At the macro level, the implementation of the various initiatives aimed at supporting the technological innovation of undertakings and production systems raise the problem of how to enact labour market policies capable of preventing technological unemployment and managing the social consequences of the digital restructuring of the companies, in case it entails redundancies or reallocations of plants. Against this background, social dialogue may represent a key factor to tackle such risks, working together with policy-makers to anticipate change by means of appropriate education and training initiatives, and to set up programmes aimed at facilitating the swift reallocation in the labour market of those affected by technological unemployment.
-
The methodology of the research is based on a grid model. On the first axis the overall phenomenon under investigation, i.e. the technological transformation of the world of work, is broken down into three main categories that will focus on three different organisational and work patterns linked to digitalisation: Industry 4.0 (including the effects of automation and the application of artificial intelligence in work processes), Platform work, Work performed on a mobile device (so-called “Smart” or “Agile” work).
On the second axis, the analysis will focus on the different industrial relations practices (workplace representation, collective bargaining, collective action, workers’ involvement in the organisation) that have been or can be mobilized at the national as well as the European level to tackle the most prominent problems linked to each of the three main categories identified under the first axis, namely: health and safety at the workplace and in the broader work environment; monitoring, control and assessment of the work performance; the lawful use of employee personal data under new managerial policies such as “people analytics”; the right to information and consultation of employees and their representatives in the decisions on the digital restructuring of the company; the access of workers to trade union representation and collective rights; the representation of new needs and the mobilization of digital workers; the right to disconnect from mobile work devices.
The project is centred on a comparative and cross-sectoral analysis that aims at benchmarking the developments in different countries and sectors, taking into consideration also the existing initiatives at the European level, with a view to identifying good practices and reflecting on the reasons of unsuccessful experiences. Improving expertise on industrial relations by means of an open discussion, networking and information exchange will hence support the improvement of the quality of social dialogue and increase the effectiveness of the role of social partners as agents of economic innovation, sustainable growth and social cohesion.
Methodology
The methodology of the research is based on a grid model. On the first axis the overall phenomenon under investigation, i.e. the technological transformation of the world of work, is broken down into three main categories that will focus on three different organisational and work patterns linked to digitalisation: Industry 4.0 (including the effects of automation and the application of artificial intelligence in work processes), Platform work, Work performed on a mobile device (so-called “Smart” or “Agile” work).
On the second axis, the analysis will focus on the different industrial relations practices (workplace representation, collective bargaining, collective action, workers’ involvement in the organisation) that have been or can be mobilized at the national as well as the European level to tackle the most prominent problems linked to each of the three main categories identified under the first axis, namely: health and safety at the workplace and in the broader work environment; monitoring, control and assessment of the work performance; the lawful use of employee personal data under new managerial policies such as “people analytics”; the right to information and consultation of employees and their representatives in the decisions on the digital restructuring of the company; the access of workers to trade union representation and collective rights; the representation of new needs and the mobilization of digital workers; the right to disconnect from mobile work devices.
The project is centred on a comparative and cross-sectoral analysis that aims at benchmarking the developments in different countries and sectors, taking into consideration also the existing initiatives at the European level, with a view to identifying good practices and reflecting on the reasons of unsuccessful experiences. Improving expertise on industrial relations by means of an open discussion, networking and information exchange will hence support the improvement of the quality of social dialogue and increase the effectiveness of the role of social partners as agents of economic innovation, sustainable growth and social cohesion.
-
Work Package 1: ‘Conceptual Reconstruction of the Theoretical Research Framework and Clear Definition of Key Concepts’ (March-September 2019).
Work Package 2: ‘Representing and Regulating Platform Work: Emerging Problems and Possible Solutions’ (October 2019-February 2020).
Work Package 3: ‘Industry 4.0, Automation and Artificial Intelligence: the Effect on Employment and the Regulatory Role of Industrial Relations’ (March-June 2020).
Work Package 4: ‘Working Beyond the Boundaries of Time and Space: “Smart Work” and its Impact on Employment Patterns and Industrial Relations’ (July-November 2020).
Work Package 5: ‘Final Comparative Reporting, Elaboration of Main Outcomes and Policy Recommendations’ (December 2020-February 2021).
Workplan
Work Package 1: ‘Conceptual reconstruction of the theoretical research framework and clear definition of key concepts’ (March-September 2019).
Work Package 2: ‘Representing and Regulating platform work: emerging problems and possible solutions’ (October 2019-February 2020).
Work Package 3: ‘Industry 4.0, automation and artificial intelligence: the effect on employment and the regulatory role of industrial relations’ (March-June 2020).
Work Package 4: ‘Working beyond the boundaries of time and space: “smart work” and its impact on employment patterns and industrial relations’ (July-November 2020).
Work Package 5: ‘Final comparative reporting, elaboration of main outcomes and policy recommendations’ (December 2020-February 2021).
RESEARCH TOPIC
The Research will Encompass Three Cases of Digital Transformation that Show Different Implications for Work Patterns and Industrial Relations:
