Transformation of the world of work

The world of work is changing at a breathtaking pace. Workers in many sectors are required to learn new skills and to adapt to changing, often precarious working conditions. Shaping these transformations is the aspiration of trade unions worldwide. 

Digitalisation is not only changing work processes, but also the organisation of work. Activities are automated, outsourced or assigned by algorithms. New powerful companies have emerged that are trying to circumvent labour regulations. Understanding this digital world of work and shaping it according to the needs of workers is the focus of our regional trade union projects on the "Future of Work" in Europe, Asia, und Latin America in particular. With our global partners IndustriALL, UNI Global, the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and PSI, we are developing sectoral and organisational policy responses, for example in the project “Our Digital Future”. Articles such as “Your Digital Union”, online courses on "trade union technologies" and webinars on "digital organising" deepen the understanding of the possibilities of digital communication, organising, organizational development and the strategic handling of data.  

In many places, digitalisation is also increasing the informalisation of the economy. In the platform economy, for example, fixed employment contracts are being transformed into precarious employment relationships, as in the transport sector. Thus, a trend is spreading in the global North that has long been the norm in the global South. We work on this problem by deepening our understanding of sector-related factors and at the same time developing political and organisational responses.