During its meeting, the Trade Council adopted resolutions on topics including ‘Impacts of digitalisation on working conditions and employment’ and ‘Increasing flexibilisation of working time’.

Flexibilisation of working time not at the expense of worse work-life balance

The resolution on flexibilisation of working time welcomes increased flexibilisation in principle but requests that this must not happen to the disadvantage of workers. To this end, it advocates a better involvement of employees in the drawing up of duty rosters. Otherwise, it states, flexibilistation of working time cannot be reconciled with objectives to achieve a better work-life balance for employees.

Equip workers to face digitalisation 

The position on impacts of digitalisation on working conditions and employment notes in particular that:
• new forms of employment that have risen due to digitalisation (such as telework or crowdsourcing) must be regulated so that they will not lead to precarious employment relationships;
• further frameworks must be established to provide for an adequate training of workers in digital forms of work;
• gains through digitalisation in terms of profits should not come to the exclusive benefit of the employer but should be shared with the workforce; and that
• time savings by employees due to digitalisation should lead to traditional models of working time being re-considered.

Social dialogue and trade unionism in Albania: Prospects and challenges

The Trade Council meeting took place in the framework of a conference on the functioning of social dialogue and trade unionism in Albania, moderated by Ylli Ballta, Head of the Albanian post trade union FSPT (a member of CESI’s member organisation Eurofedop). Together with the General Director of the Albanian Post Mailind Lazimi, representatives of the Albanian ministers for innovation, social welfare and economic development, and further professionals and experts in industrial relations in Albania, the Trade Council members exchanged about challenges that trade unionists in the country face in making their voice heard through social dialogue.