Social Agenda Issue 53 - EN

© Belga Image New forms of industrial action: some local platform workers, mostly couriers delivering a service offline, have achieved recognition as workers. SPECIAL FEATURE Social dialogue beyond the comfort zone New forms of organisation and industrial action are emerging due to technological change and non-standard employment What are the consequences of technological change for the role that social partners play in shaping work organisation? The Employment and Social Developments in Europe 2018 review shows that industrial relations, and in particular social dialogue, are undergoing deep changes. Social partner organisations, as well as public authorities, are faced with the prospect of moving out of the comfort zones of established routines. New players, such as workers engaged in new forms of work, as well as new employers, are knocking on the door. Positive signs Trade unions’ attractiveness is decreasing. Organising workers is particularly difficult in non-standard employment situations, and in most EU countries, collective bargaining coverage is low or declining. On the other hand, there are some positive signs. In several Central and Eastern European countries, trust in trade unions is growing. While in Western Europe, several new categories of workers have recently succeeded in organising interest representations. For example, local platform workers, mostly couriers delivering a service offline, have achieved recognition as workers. Physical proximity facilitates courier’s mobilisation. They usually start by demanding for better pay and working conditions, as well as the recognition of their status as employees. At a second stage, trade unions come to help them (see box). Tougher challenge Organising platform workers who provide on line services is a tougher challenge for the trade unions. These workers’ physical location is not limited to national borders. As a result, they are subject to different national legal systems. Moreover, they compete for the same tasks, made available through a single platform. A network of European and North American unions now represents the interests of platform workers and provides information. It has 2 2 / SOC I A L AG E NDA / NOV E MB E R 2 0 1 8