On 15-17 January 2026, a seminar was held in Warsaw on “Digital transformation of work – risks and opportunities: tasks for the social partners” resulting from changes in the labour market in this area. The event brought together 64 experts, representatives of trade unions and other workers’ organisations, the scientific community and public administration from 11 European countries. The meeting was organized by KK NSZZ "Solidarność" (Komisja Krajowa NSZZ "Solidarność"), with the support of EZA and funded by the European Union.
The meeting was opened by Bartłomiej Mickiewicz, Deputy Chairman of the National Trade Union Solidarity, who welcomed the participants and emphasised that the issue of digitalisation and robotisation of the labour market is common to many European countries. Mechanisms should be introduced to maintain the dignity of workers and prevent a deterioration in working conditions. He drew attention to the algorithmic hiring and firing of employees by artificial intelligence. Next, Dariusz Paczuski, Chairman of the Mazowsze Regional Board, emphasised that digital changes must guarantee the safety of employees and clear rules related to employment. Then, the moderator of the meeting, Elżbieta Wielg, an expert from the National Trade Union Solidarity, welcomed the participants and presented the topic and agenda of the meeting.
The first presentation was given by Wioleta Klimaszewska, Head of the Promotion and Implementation Centre at the Central Institute for Labour Protection - National Research Institute (CIOP-PIB), who presented the risks associated with the digitalisation of work based on EU-OSHA research. Remote working and artificial intelligence may speed up work, but they also impose higher standards and promote isolation at work due to the lack of direct interaction. She cited risks that are particularly important for young people, most of whom are employees of online platforms. She drew attention to health aspects, including musculoskeletal risks resulting from a lack of access to health and safety training and the pace of work imposed by algorithms that assess work performance. In the long term, this can lead to psychosocial problems and burnout. The nature of work, the scope of responsibilities and duties of employees will also change, requiring new competences and skills to remain secure in the labour market. The research also addresses changes in the law. It points to the need for regulations on the right to disconnect from the digital world, transparency of algorithms and employer responsibility for the harmful effects of technology. As a result of the ETUC's efforts, a draft Directive on Just Transition has been submitted to the European Parliament. Employees are to have the right to information and consultation on digital changes at work and priority for training and retraining before dismissal. Companies, on the other hand, are to prepare digital and green transformation plans that take into account the impact on employment, consult them with employees and report them to a special EU Observatory on Just Transition. In conclusion, she emphasised that a sustainable and secure digital transition is a process that must be based on dialogue and concern for the well-being of employees.
The second presentation on day 1 was given by Bartłomiej Mickiewicz, member of the Labour Market Council, Deputy Chairman of KK NSZZ "Solidarność" on the challenges of the labour market in the era of digitalisation. He drew attention to unpaid work outside working hours due to constant connection to work tools. We work faster, but the workload is also increasing, resulting in psychosocial risks. On the issue of robotisation, he pointed to the problem of health and safety and the cooperation of robots with humans, as well as the aspect of job losses in industry as a result. He emphasised that, paradoxically, rising energy prices may slow down the automation process, which is very energy-intensive. Algorithmic selection for work and employee performance evaluation by algorithms that operate in an unclear manner are another threat to employees. Trade unions cannot request changes to them because they do not know how they work. This must be transparent and accessible so that it can be addressed. There is also no right of appeal, as formally it is not a human decision. A lack of digital skills leads to digital exclusion – as a result of a lack of access and skills, e.g. in signing and receiving electronic documents, which excludes many older people and those with lower skills from the labour market. He mentioned an important aspect - the right to disconnect and online access fot employees by trade unions, especially "platform" unions, whose work is not conducive to face-to-face meetings. Another aspect is privacy, especially the protection of data collected about employees, which is not necessarily needed for the employee to perform their work and whose use is unclear. Unions should strive to limit personal monitoring, increase privacy protection and ensure that these tools are not used for surveillance and discipline.
Next, Gonçalo Feiteira, an expert from the SINERGIA trade union in Portugal, presented the challenges of digital transformation in Portugal. 22% of people work remotely or in a hybrid mode, mostly 2 out of 3 days, there are fewer cars in the city and people are migrating inland, also as a result of climate change in Portugal. Young people are coping with the transformation, but problems are occurring in agriculture, trade and small businesses. People must attempt to retrain, as the development of robotisation and artificial intelligence cannot be reversed. This requires huge changes in training and the promotion of lifelong learning. He highlighted the psychosocial problems associated with remote working, which are common to many countries. Public services are gradually being digitised, but the use of these online tools requires training for users of these services. Trade unions are pushing for certified training, which takes place during working hours, and professional recognition of new hybrid roles. He emphasised that collective agreements are working effectively in Portugal.
Silviu Ispas, Director of the Institute for Economic and Social Education (IFES) in Romania, presented the digital transformation in Romania, which is viewed positively. He pointed to structural barriers, digital skills gaps and social inequalities in internet access as the biggest problems. He emphasised that digitisation is progressing better in agriculture, where advanced satellites assist in the operation of autonomous machines. Digitisation in public administration is a sensitive issue because expectations are very high, but there is a lack of funding and the matter has become a political and cultural issue. Due to the lack of sufficient competence among public administration employees, this area is not developing at a satisfactory pace, similar to the digitisation of trade unions themselves.
The last presentation on day 1 was given by Irina Semjonova, Member of the Youth Committee of the Latvian Trade Union of Public Services and Transport Workers (LAKRS) from Latvia. The education we received 20 or 30 years ago is no longer relevant for the most part, and AI training needs to be updated on a weekly basis because the process is happening so quickly. New AI-related jobs are being created, but many people fear losing their jobs. Generation Z wants to work remotely, earn a decent wage and does not commit to a particular job for years. In their opinion, it is impossible to train all people who need retraining, and companies such as Microsoft and Google are also laying off employees with less experience. It is not possible to retrain everyone to become programmers, and people will lose their jobs. An employer who does not offer remote or hybrid work is no longer an attractive employer for young people. Latvia makes extensive use of EU funds for training and improving digital skills. Job platforms provide space for online trade unions, and this is important. Robotisation and automation will continue, as robots do not get tired or sick, which is beneficial for employers as costs fall and productivity rises. Data protection and property rights are a major issue, as they can lead to the generation of false information, and there is no provision for liability or consequences for the use of such information. AI will not be ethical or empathetic, so this should be borne in mind when using it. Public services are digitised, with around 91% of civil matters being dealt with online. She presented the tasks of trade unions in the field of labour market digitalisation, i.e.: innovative strategy and tools for reaching target groups, offers for young people, caring for digital image and issues related to sustainable development. For many years, trade unions did not deal with digitalisation, and now there is a lot of catching up to do in order to protect against mass redundancies as a result of digitalisation. It should be remembered that people should always be at the centre of change.
The next day began with Kai-Uwe Hemmerich, Chairman of the Works Council at Sudarshan Germany Horizons, Christian Democratic Workers' Association (CDA) from Germany. He spoke about the digitisation of the chemical industry and process automation, which has simplified and accelerated these processes. Humans only react in the event of a failure or problems with the systems controlled by the algorithm. These systems have been standardised across the industry, data has been collected within corporations and used to improve working conditions and optimise production costs. Processes are managed using tablets and computers, which required additional training in the use of these devices. The collected data contributes to cost reduction by centralising the purchase of tools and work equipment across the entire industry or even the entire country. Unfortunately, this has come at the expense of quality.
This was followed by a debate entitled "Digital transformation of work: how not to leave employees behind? Challenges for social partners" on defining the challenges for social partners arising from the risks associated with the digital transformation of work. The panel was attended by representatives of trade unions and researchers from the Warsaw School of Economics. Dr Czarzasty referred to previous industrial revolutions, where technological changes first caused damage and then brought benefits. However, it is not certain that this time it will be the same, because the fact is that jobs are disappearing from Europe. Prof. Zybała reported on the results of a research project on the use of artificial intelligence. The results show that trade unions are passive and have no plans or strategies in place if redundancies do indeed begin as a result of digitalisation. Companies declare positive results from digitalisation, but there is no research on whether these changes are leading to a reduction in employment. According to research by the NASK – National Research Institute, approximately 30% of jobs are at risk of being eliminated or transformed. Trade unionists are more sceptical, pointing out that as representatives of the most vulnerable, they must be more cautious and raise the alarm about likely redundancies resulting from the transformation, because process automation will lead to redundancies. They pointed out that measures to protect employees should have been implemented several years earlier, and that it is now too late because AI is already in operation and training and retraining take time. According to Portuguese panellist Gonçalvo Feiter, we have moved very quickly to Industry 5.0, the pace is so fast that the state must ensure continuity of employment, the wage gap between the rich and the poor will grow, and the middle class will disappear. Digital transformation generates profits for employers, but what are the profits for employees? The pace of work and the number of tasks have increased. The best tool for protecting the interests of employees are collective agreements and negotiations, but these are extremely rare in relation to AI. However, it is the task of trade unions to dynamically strengthen this issue. The transformation will be fair if there is solidarity between countries so that the pace of change is comparable everywhere. Radosław Pyszczek presented the Deutsche Telekom programme, where employees at risk of losing their jobs can retrain, the state subsidises part of their salary during retraining, and at the end they are guaranteed a new job.
Next, the attendees listened to presentations on good practices – examples of digital solutions that improve the quality and safety of work and support employee health, using the example of Marelli Sosnowiec Poland Sp. z o.o. "Holistic programme for the prevention of occupational risks in the digital world" by– Andrzej Łapaj , Health and Safety Manager. For people working 8 hours a day in front of a computer, electrically adjustable desks were purchased, as well as glasses and contact lenses for employees. An awareness campaign on musculoskeletal risks and physical exercises to prevent these problems was launched. The company signed a contract for consultations with a psychologist, lawyer and financial expert – the employer purchased a subscription for employees to access these types of specialists. In addition, training on internet data protection and anti-phishing measures was introduced. The company also uses flexible working hours to ensure a balance between private life and work. This has contributed to improving the well-being of administrative and office workers, reducing back problems and improving job satisfaction.
Next, Paulina Barańska, an expert from KK NSZZ "S", presented the conclusions from the Good Practices competition - Work Safety in the Digital World 2023-2025 - "Healthy and Safe Workplaces" available in the attached presentation.
Elżbieta Wójtowicz (COI), representative of the Ministry of Digital Affairs, discussed the digitisation of public services using the example of the government application "mObywatel" – a digital assistant for citizens. It is used by 11.5 million Polish citizens. The application contains an electronic ID card (mDowód, which is equivalent to an official physical ID card in Polish offices), driving licence, vehicle registration certificate, disability card and trade union card. In total, there are over 70 services and digital documents available in the application. Through the application, you can block your PESEL number to prevent anyone from taking out a loan in your name. You can also redirect yourself to your Individual Patient Account, where you can view your medical history and fill an e-prescription for medication. It is also possible to write a statement from the perpetrator of a car accident through the app in order to speed up the payment of compensation. A qualified signature is available, which is as valid as a handwritten signature (up to 5 per month free of charge for private purposes). You can also sign up for military training or use the virtual assistant service. In Austria, there is a similar solution in education where you can contact parents or issue class/school completion certificates. There are no such solutions in Lithuania.
Next, Maciej Kłosiński, Deputy Chairman of the National Trade Union Solidarity, talked about another feature of the mObywatel app, which provides an electronic union membership card available to over 385,000 members of Solidarity, offering benefits such as discounts on fuel, hotel services and other services. The QR code function enables the identification of union members and confirmation of their eligibility to participate in internal union elections.
This was followed by a plenary debate on developing a catalogue of measures for social partners (at national and European level) to minimise risks and overcome challenges related to digital transformation. The need to regulate these issues in collective labour agreements and to improve one's own competences and skills in order to attract new members and know how and what to negotiate, also through cooperation with think tanks, was pointed out. Making forecasts and identifying risks together with research institutions in the form of a report in order to diagnose and, consequently, develop an action plan, because we operate in a dynamically changing environment and the process of digitisation cannot be stopped. The PIE report points to a potential threat to employees, which is why cooperation with the scientific community on this issue is essential. Trade unions should be a warning light, informing about the consequences and preventive measures before too many jobs are lost. Unions must supervise and monitor changes in this area to keep it under control for the benefit of the people who should remain at the forefront of the entire digital transformation process.