As part of CESI’s EU co-funded project ‘DiWork – Digitalising public services: Making it work for citizens, business and workers’, the study was elaborated against the background of an EU digitalisation agenda that is becoming increasingly comprehensive. An enhanced interoperability of public services, the regulation of telework and employment in the platform economy, a promotion of digital education and skills, a functioning design of cyber data protection, a better support of companies in their digital transformation, the development of sustainable and secure digital infrastructures, … The list of EU projects is ambitious. Together with the European Green Deal, the goal of climate neutrality by 2050, a comprehensive digitalisation is intended to make the EU and its Member States global frontrunners in terms of economic innovation, swift administration and climate-friendly environmental protection.

In this context, the study stresses that it must be a central priority of trade unions that digitalisation is made inclusive and that the concerns of employees in companies and staff in public services are always taken into account in digital transformations. Generally, they should see digitalisation as an opportunity rather than a danger; ignoring or plainly dismissing it as anti-worker is shortsighted and cannot be in the interests of the employees, the study notes.

Rather, according to study, open-mindedness and proactive participation are the best way to find concrete solutions for a social digitalisation together with employers and politicians. Specifically, it states: “Trade unions should be active in consultations and negotiations on the implementation of new technologies in workplaces in order to represent workers’ need regarding digital tools and how they could be applied.” And: “Trade unions can shape workers’ attitudes towards digitalisation in order to create an environment where workers do not fear the change and are willing to support it.”

Klaus Heeger, Secretary General of CESI, underlines this finding: “Especially in turbulent times, trade unions have always been an anchor for their members that they rely on and trust. The trade unions should use this capital to mediate and, above all, to help shape digitalisation processes. Certain fears and concerns of employees are justified but they must not lead to fundamental opposition. This cannot be in the interest of the members in the medium term. Because digitalisation is taking place, with or without us. Only through our intervention can very concrete dangers of digitalisation be averted. This is probably the most important finding of the study.”

The full study is now available online, including various annexes and separate sector and case studies, under the following links:

• Full main study
• Executive summary
• Annexes with case studies on the defence, security, transportation and manufacturing sectors
• Sub-studies
  • Education and training sector
  • Health sector
  • Postal services sector
  • Central government and local and regional administration sector