With advent of new technologies, Member States’ employment ministers want to avoid increasing inequalities and job insecurity on labour market

The Member States’ employment and social affairs ministers, meeting in Luxembourg on Monday 9 October, discussed the impact of new technologies on workers, but also the impact of new forms of work on their rights and balance - both mental and in terms of privacy.

While this debate comes at a time when European Parliament and EU Council negotiators are discussing the directive on workers on digital platforms, the Spanish Presidency of the Council of the EU wanted to look at how artificial intelligence, algorithmic management of work or remote working affect workers’ rights, arguing that limits must be set with “human control of decisions” and “respect for fundamental rights”.

Outlining the debate, which forms part of the ‘European Semester’ budget process, Spain’s Minister for Employment, Yolanda Díaz, pointed out that algorithms can “exacerbate prejudices linked to disability or gender”.

During the debate, the European Commissioner for Employment and Social Rights, Nicolas Schmit, pointed out that the EU will lose 1 million people a year between now and 2040 and that these new technological tools, including those linked to artificial intelligence, can bring positive things, but “suitable working conditions” are needed, a workforce that can be trained and retrained, and that “human rights must be respected”.

“The EU wants to spearhead a global framework on artificial intelligence”, he added, and the Commission is currently considering what further action is needed to support and protect workers. To this end, it is closely analysing “the effects of this major technological leap”.

In the Member States, many ministers and ministerial representatives stressed during the debate the importance of social dialogue and of involving the social partners in identifying the risks associated with these new technologies and implementing new solutions.

The right of workers to disconnect was mentioned on numerous occasions, notably by the Portuguese minister, Ana Mendes Godinho, who called on the EU to be “at the forefront of the digital transition” while “remaining human and not giving priority to independent contracts”.

“Our initiatives must not change our social structures”, added the Minister, calling for the preservation of “the right to disconnect” and the greatest possible “transparency” on algorithms.

For the German State Secretary for Labour and Social Affairs, Rolf Schmachtenberg, an initiative at European level “would be very welcome in terms of social progress in the context of algorithmic management”. While algorithms can help, they also have “negative aspects; we really need to look at this from a European angle”, he added, and to discuss all this in tripartite dialogues.

For the new Finnish Labour Minister, Sanni Grahn-Laasonen, new technologies must not be allowed to sacrifice quality of life at work and exacerbate inequalities between workers, particularly in terms of pay.

And for Luxembourg’s deputy permanent representative, Fabien Raum, it is “inconceivable that digitalisation could be used by certain platforms as a means of exploiting workers”.

The issue of digital literacy for the whole population and digital inclusion will be at the heart of a conference organised by the future Belgian Presidency of the Council of the EU.

Framework for the social economy

On Monday, the ministers also approved conclusions on mental health at work, given that in 2022, 27% of workers in the European Union were suffering from stress, depression and anxiety.

On this occasion, the Council of the EU invites the European Commission “to reflect on an appropriate policy to combat psychosocial risks at work, to consider the right to disconnect as a preventive measure and to promote the coordination of national initiatives on the management of psychosocial risks at work”.