Encouraging a Digital and Green Transition through Revitalised and Inclusive Union-Employer Negotiations

BACKGROUND

Today, there is a clear need for better adaptation of social dialogue institutions given the systemic labour market transformations, such as digitalisation and green transition, as well as the growing share of non-standard work in the European workforce. Social dialogue institutions are a means to guide European economies through economic change, helping ensure both worker and employer views are represented at the level of firm, sector, or national policymaking and in EU forums. They have, at times, helped governments, employers, and workers implement or deal with the effects of digitalization, greening of production, firm restructuring, financial crisis and the COVID-19 pandemic. Recent research shows that despite social dialogue’s undeniable role in labour regulation in many countries and at the EU level, its ability to manage crises and transformations in an equitable and just way is uncertain and requires further research. 

To address these needs, E-GRUiEN will conduct sector-based case study research in 9 countries (7 EU Member States: Austria, Estonia, Finland, Italy, Poland, Slovakia, Spain, plus Norway and the UK) which are geographically representative of Europe, providing a diverse picture of extant social dialogue institutions, economic characteristics, and impact of the twin transition (green and digital). The 4 sectors of focus in the case studies are automotive (and other heavy transport equipment) production, energy production, care services, and transport on demand (i.e., taxi). The sector case selection of E-GRUiEN is motivated by the transformative and adaptive potential of the firms in view of the green and digital transitions and the existing power of worker organizations.