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Modern types of work as a sustainable mobility solution

The topic "Modern types of work as a sustainable mobility solution" was the focus of a conference convened by AFB (Arbeiter-, Freizeit- und Bildungsverein) in cooperation with EZA, the European Centre for Workers' Questions based in Königswinter. Due to the coronavirus pandemic the conference was held online on 30 and 31 October 2020 and was attended remotely by over 50 participants from South Tyrol/Italy, Germany, Austria, Luxembourg and Belgium. Both German and Italian were used at the meeting, which was supported by the European Union.

Experts from different European countries presented concepts and examples of how sustainable mobility solutions are changing working arrangements, consumption patterns and daily life in general. Technical progress is fuelling such process and is bringing about major changes in the way goods and services are produced. That affects the machines used, work organisation and logistics, but also communication both within companies and with external suppliers and customers. While the international business community has been using digital networks for years, it was the lockdown caused by the COVID-19 pandemic which forced public and private companies of all sizes to make systematic use of digital tools to support a variety of business processes.

Many large companies that have incorporated environmental awareness into their business philosophy and that consider environmental certification schemes as an integral part of their corporate identity are already optimising logistics by better coordinating delivery schedules and the fleet of vehicles used. They frequently have a mobility management system in place that encourages eco-friendly forms of commuting among employees by relying on telecommunications to replace unnecessary car travel.

Working from home or teleworking has become an established work arrangement in many companies. It is typically governed by a company-wide or an individual agreement between employer and employee. Only in the Netherlands is there a legal right to remote work. In Italy, the so -called "agile work" (aka “smart work”) is considered a form of employment in which the home-based employees have fundamentally the same rights and duties as their fellow workers operating at a conventional workplace. Remote work, however, is not linked to a permanently installed workspace or a specific workstation. In Germany, the Workplace Ordinance (Arbeitsstättenverordnung) lays down that the working from home arrangement requires a permanently installed workplace at home for which the employer shall provide the necessary equipment and check compliance with occupational safety standards. In Austria, the employer must provide office equipment and supplies, while the furnishing of the home-based workplace is the responsibility of the employee. In the absence of legal or collective agreements, individual agreements on so-called “mobile working” open the door to new forms of employment at the crossroads between self-employment and conventional employment. The same applies to the platform economy, i.e. digital forms of matchmaking between clients and contractors.

During the Covid-19 lockdown, the use of telework, work platforms and teleconferencing has increased dramatically. The reduction in the number of car journeys and the cancellation of a large number of domestic and international flights contributed to a sudden improvement in air quality, especially in cities. Digital working methods proved to be efficient to keep work processes going. For this reason, their use was facilitated by national legislators or even made mandatory for the public sector. The working from home arrangement is considered advantageous especially by companies operating in the service sector, because it allows more flexible forms of work organisation, which empower employees, foreground achievements and results while saving costs. However, from a trade union point of view, it should be noted that in smaller companies the switch to remote work from home has often occurred at the expense of the employees who, in actual fact,  had to pay for setting up their workstations at home and were under great pressure to perform but were not given more freedom to organize their schedule. In particular, trade unions find it difficult to reach out to workers who are performing rather elusive forms of remote or platform work and engage them so that they can get organized to secure their collective rights through collective agreements and territorial or company-wide agreements. For this reason, at EU level, a regulation is being considered for harmonising increasingly transnational digital and platform work.

There are many examples of sustainable mobility solutions in the field of public transport at international level. Intermodality is the keyword here, i.e. a well-timed interconnection of public transport services combined with the promotion of pedestrian and cycle mobility over short distances, car sharing projects and e-mobility. Some municipalities and regions have excellent eco-friendly projects for traffic avoidance and sustainable traffic management. Commuters are encouraged to switch to cycling or public transport (e.g. through the provision of incentives for the purchase of bicycles or e-bikes, convenient bicycle parking facilities and discounts for public transport). Companies can contribute significantly by creating synergies between occupational health and mobility management, thus rewarding behaviours which support sustainable mobility. Cross-border cooperation and open-minded public administrations can create beneficial network effects to motivate people to give up their traditional commuting habits and switch to healthier and more eco-friendly alternatives.

Regional mobility should be approached taking into account the specific circumstances and needs at municipal, company, school and tourism level. The Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) announced by the UN in 2015 often encourage regions to set ambitious goals. However, small local steps can be effective only if a broad social consensus is reached around planning for sustainable development. When it comes to urban and transport planning, a more radical approach is needed that looks at discouraging the use of cars by giving priority to pedestrian and bicycle mobility while improving the sense of community. Projects to "reclaim" public space aim at making room for families and children and, more generally, at encouraging social interaction in residential areas and public places. The adverse effects on health and the environment caused by harmful emissions and noise on the one hand, and the better quality of life which can be achieved through slowing down and reflective contemplation on the other, indicate that the car and unlimited, boundless mobility might not necessarily be the guiding principle of social development.

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