Digitalisation at Work Is a Democracy Issue

Digital technologies are being introduced rapidly in workplaces around the world. This new FES series of reports shows which rights workers can mobilise to negotiate working conditions in the digital workplace.

When management in the public and private sectors introduces digital technologies, the stated aim is usually to improve productivity and efficiency. Yet these technologies can have far-reaching consequences for working conditions and workers’ rights, often in negative ways. Jobs are being automated, workers are being quantified, and data about their performance and behaviour is being analysed and used by algorithmic systems.

Many shop stewards and occupational health and safety representatives are not yet engaging management on the use of digital technologies. This is often due to a lack of knowledge, capacity and awareness of existing rights. As a result, most trade unions are not yet negotiating collective agreements that address the digitalisation of work.

A Dangerous Democracy Gap

The deployment of technology without workers’ involvement not only exposes workers to new forms of control. It also shifts the balance of power in the workplace in favour of employers. Workers may feel increasingly alienated and objectified.

An unprotected and disempowered workforce is not only less productive; it may also lose trust in the promises and institutions that are meant to guarantee decent work and a decent life. Strengthening workers’ capacity to claim their rights and negotiate working conditions in digitalised workplaces is therefore a contribution to democracy and justice.

Know Your Rights

In many countries, workers have rights and management has obligations when digital systems are introduced at work. The country studies in the “Negotiating Digitalised Workplaces” series show which forms of institutional power — including rights, laws and labour market agreements — workers have at their disposal, and how workers and trade unions can use them.

By providing ready-to-use checklists of questions and collective bargaining proposals to help close legal gaps, the reports support a more thorough and strategic response by workers and organised labour in the countries studied.

The country studies on Albania, Brazil, Kenya, India, Ireland, South Korea and Uruguay reveal differing degrees of institutional maturity in governance frameworks. They also point to significant gaps in the protection of workers’ rights and decent work. The bargaining agenda for trade unions is therefore broad, with recurring themes including prior information and consultation, transparency, human oversight, surveillance and health risks.

Country Studies and Synthesis Report

A concise overall analysis of the findings is available in the synthesis report.

For a deeper understanding of the relevant rights and bargaining agendas, please consult the individual country studies.