The Irel project encompasses three cases of digital transformation that show different implications for work patterns and industrial relations:

“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.

It pursues three main goals: to analize the way in which industrial relations players and practices are coping with the problems that arise from the transformation of employment patterns prompted by technological innovation; to promote transnational dialogue, exchange of information and benchmarking of best practices; to put forward policy proposals aimed at providing innovative and effective solutions to the problems of collective representation and regulation of employment relations in digitized workplaces. 

The “digital transformation” of production processes poses landmark challenges for the organization of the workplace and the related employment patterns. Such challenges call into question the regulatory role of industrial relations and the capacity of social partners to promote fair working conditions along with a smooth adjustment of companies to the new determinants of competitiveness.