Within days of each other, the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) and BusinessEurope, representatives of European businesses, published their responses to the first stage consultation on ‘Quality Jobs’, opened by the Commission last December (see EUROPE 13766/19).
The ETUC, for its part, mainly argues that improving job quality - not lowering standards - is the “real answer” to challenges facing the European economy.
“Nearly one in five workers in Europe are in low-quality jobs with low pay and poor prospects. That not only traps individual workers in poverty, but research shows that jobs with low pay and conditions are exacerbating the labour shortages damaging Europe’s economy”, summarised the ETUC in a press release.
The organisation is calling on the Commission to take action with binding legislative instruments to strengthen collective bargaining, regulate subcontracting chains and labour intermediaries, put an end to psycho-social risks at work and enforce the right to disconnect, regulate algorithmic management at work based on the human in control principle, and ensure a ‘just transition’, including a binding right to training during working hours.
Esther Lynch, general secretary of the ETUC, believes it is time to move away from an “ideological” approach to this issue whereby European companies aren’t interested in the principle of quality jobs, she explained at a press briefing on Tuesday 3 February, when today on the contrary, quality jobs guarantee fair working conditions (level playing field) compared to their competitors.
The trade union leader also welcomed the fact that 1,145 European employers, by voting in favour of the principle of European preference in industry (see EUROPE 13799/1) on 1 February, also supported the concept of high-quality European jobs, underlying every use of European public funds.
“A strong Quality Jobs Act would be good for workers, good for companies and good for Europe. Mario Draghi was clear that increasing competitiveness is about raising skills, not lowering wages”, explains the ETUC.
Unsurprisingly, BusinessEurope’s position, published on 27 January, is much more cautious. The organisation is asking the Commission to propose new laws only if they are necessary and have been demonstrated beforehand not to introduce additional burdens on businesses.
With regard to regulating artificial intelligence at work, BusinessEurope is calling on the Commission to create a tool that brings together existing legal provisions to facilitate the deployment of AI tools in the workplace. “Introducing additional legislative requirements is not necessary”. On the contrary, clarification and simplification of existing provisions should be the priority of any potential European action in this area.
The European employers’ organisation also rejects a legislative initiative on subcontracting, as “any new restrictions risk weakening companies’ competitiveness and productivity”.
And while the ETUC is once again calling for a binding right to disconnect, BusinessEurope reiterates its position.
“Employers cannot be held responsible for using professional equipment for private reasons outside working hours. [...] Arrangements shaping the practice of work connectivity should be flexible enough to ensure seamless functioning of enterprises. Reconciliation of companies and workers’ needs is best done at the company level”.
Links to the responses: https://aeur.eu/f/kjz ; https://aeur.eu/f/kjy (Original version in French by Solenn Paulic)