An online seminar hosted by LOC/MTC - Liga Operária Católica/Movimento de Trabalhadores Cristianos (Catholic Workers' League/Christian Workers' Movement) took place in Aveiro from March 11-14, 2021, with participation of workers' organisations from Portugal, Germany, Spain, France, the Czech Republic and Switzerland on the topic: Development of industrial relations and types of work in the digital age – concepts of "work", "worker", "company" – organising and representing workers. The seminar was supported by EZA and the European Union.
The opening session was attended by António Moiteiro, Bishop of Aveiro, who presided, Ribau Esteves, Lord Mayor of Aveiro, Nelson Santos, Mayor of Cacia, Américo Monteiro, National Coordinator of LOC/MTC, and Maria Reina Martin, Vice-President of EZA.
The LOC/MTC coordinator welcomed the participants and the organisations they represented, gave a brief overview of the situation of workers in Portugal and pointed out some of the targets of the seminar. Maria Reina Martin from the EZA Board of Directors spoke about the activities of EZA, the situation in Europe and the importance of such seminars. The mayor of Cacia Nelson Santos in turn welcomed the participants, thanked LOC/MTC for choosing Cacia as the venue and wished the seminar every success imaginable. Ribau Esteves, Lord Mayor of Aveiro, congratulated LOC/MTC for this far-sighted choice of topics and their activism and underlined that it would be well advised to put people at the centre, because they are the basis of life and work, and that the minimum wage was alarmingly low in Portugal with an urgent need to promote social and territorial cohesion. Bishop António Moiteiro, in turn, reflected on digital culture and work, the opportunities it offers, but not everything is positive, as these also represent closed cycles that inspire fake news.
The first unit reflected on the evolution of labour relationships and forms in the digital age, reminding that we are heirs to several revolutions since the steam engine, the internal combustion engine, electricity, wireless communication and semiconductors, where work has always been that the weakest link was a poor relative whom one likes to sweep under the rug. What seems to be gaining ground is digital integration, information, artificial intelligence, flexible production, product adaptation, dematerialisation and the sharing economy; work, on the other hand, remains deregulated, traditional jobs are destroyed, rather precariousness and irregular working relationships are increasing. This way of looking down on work creates fear, exclusion, is a source of inequalities and does not create a more egalitarian society.
In the second unit we dealt with the terms work, workers and companies today, the consequences for workers and for social security in Portugal and in Europe, all of which are extremely explosive topics in Europe. We discussed companies and their business models, forms of employment, teleworking as a service contract, solo self-employment in the platform economy. These are forms of employment that are not entirely new. What is new, however, is that such independence corresponds to visions that are gaining the upper hand in the EU.
In the third unit, through a round table discussion, we became aware of what was happening in the European countries of Germany, Spain, the Czech Republic and Portugal and how environmental concerns and the new work models are bothering young people there. It can be seen that the vast majority of young people are now more concerned about environmental problems. In the specific case of Portugal, 89% of young people are concerned today, significantly more than 10 years ago. Spain is now responding to new models of work, lifestyle, society and politics. Some courts sanction bogus self-employment and have fined companies. Many young people lose their motivation to study because they don't see a future for themselves afterwards. But a majority remains optimistic and believes that they will be professionally successful.
Conclusions:
Even if they do not have large resources, young people take to the streets and do more to protect the environment, as is happening in Germany, for example, with impressive demonstrations against the destruction of villages in order to expand coal mining.
- Behind the current reality is a process of digital technologies, the globalisation of the economy and ideological issues. We shouldn't bury our heads in the sand like an ostrich, but rather follow the method of recognising, judging and acting. Five myths have been disenchanted in this context: 1. Industry is a thing of the past; 2. The Internet is more revolutionary than the washing machine; 3. The digital age is the way to more opportunities and fairer societies; 4. Less state equals better state; 5. Technology is the mother of all demons. Nothing is just black and white. Technological change is irreversible, so we need to take our own lives into our own hands, deepen civil society, create more inclusion, put a stop to precariousness, develop new skills, take a proactive stance towards technology and to take unity as a workforce. A new way of approaching work is emerging and it gives rise to a relatively optimistic view of developments when we consider history and have confidence in the dynamics that society has built. The fifth unit looked at which employee issues can be put on the political, union and corporate agenda and how, in order to promote social dialogue and balanced development. Strengthening social dialogue is a means of achieving social and economic progress. It gives the communities a voice and enables them to get actively involved in their societies and workplaces and is therefore a matter of civil society. Social dialogue always exists, the question is whether it unfolds with the necessary breadth and depth. This requires enlightened and knowledge-based viewpoints. Is the social dialogue really about "issues of common interest"? Is it taken on current issues? Is social change changing the issues, or is it ignored? The world has changed and continues to do so at breakneck speed. The instruments of dialogue need although they are quite effective. It takes time to change their agendas. Automation, digitisation, demographics and globalisation are the drivers of change here.
- Given the trend towards the elimination of regulated industrial relations, the first important conclusion is that we must continue to defend work with labour and social rights. There is an urgent need to combine labour rights with social rights, and workers should organize themselves in solidarity and fight for their recognition and rights
- To combat inequalities, including wage inequalities that exacerbate asymmetries, we must stand up for labour laws that protect workers' rights and for the defence of services of general interest, which are and must be important achievements we step on the scene. It is therefore necessary that the unions perform their political and social tasks even better and demand an increase in tax progression, the minimum wage and old-age pensions, equality between men and women and climate protection. To do this, the unions have to adapt more to today's realities and see how they can make the concerns of all workers their own