In line with the PERC action programme adopted by the 5th General Assembly in December 2024 the School aimed to provide regional contribution the ITUC standard setting work, and in particular, to the development of an international norm to regulate platform work. The School was chaired by the PERC President Igor Zubcu from CNSM-Moldova.
In her key note speech PERC General Secretary, Esther Lynch, called for trade union renewal as without strong unions and an industrial policy for quality jobs, the transitions would see good jobs destroyed and communities ruined. Without strong unions, artificial Intelligence and new technology will deliver a digital dividend for the tech giants, not workers. The trade union movement is the principal force that has transformed misery and despair into hope and progress. The PERC strives for just transitions, for technologies that serve workers and do not undermine their rights and freedoms and the ILO standard setting is the key step to close emerging labour regulation gaps and ensuring just technological transitions.
ILO-ACTRAV specialist, Michael Watt, presented ILO analysis about the platform economy operations, rise of diverse forms of work and self-employment boosted by new technologies, existing trends in employment patterns, impact of artificial intelligence and technological changes on decent work and the background for the ILO decision to regulate platform work.
Monica Tepfer, ITUC legal expert, in charge of the coordinating global trade union movement work for the standard setting process, explained short-term actions that ITUC expects from affiliates – responding to the ILO questionary and encouraging national governments to take on board trade union movement vision of principles and necessary elements to be reflected in the new standard. She also explained long-term approaches and trade union priority areas for ensuring decent work for all, including workers engaged by platforms.
ETUC adviser, Lucie Susova, introduced game-changing EU directive on platform work that was a big step to ensure promotion of basic employment rights, equality for platform workers. She explained main elements of the directive that could serve as reference point for the global level as well: concept of presumption of employment, transparency and disclosing of the algorithms to prevent discrimination, collective bargaining rights for platform workers, data processing restrictions. The transposition into national law is the key for EU directive implementation now and ETUC established a special working process to exchange and to build on trade union experiences of member states.
Participants from Belgium, France, Kazakhstan, Norway, Poland, Russia, Serbia, Switzerland, Ukraine presented national trade union experience and challenges of regulating the platform work, outreaching, representing and collective action taken by workers of platform.
Tamara Gabisonia, coordinator of the International Labour Lawyers Association in Eastern Europe and Central Asia, presented research about platform work in Central Asia, while members of PERC Youth committee and Women Committee focused on specific aspects and impacts on the respective vulnerable groups of workers.
Aida Ponce del Castillo from the European Trade Union Institute introduced scientific analysis about artificial intelligence – threats to fundamental freedoms, democracy and labour markets and opportunities for trade unions.
The School initiated regional contribution to the ITUC work on standard building. It called for a ILO Сonvention (with a Recommendation) that would cover: employment misclassification; wages and rates plus overtime pay; working time management, OSH and labour inspection; violence at work, social protection and contributions payment, sick and annual leave; guarantees for collective representation, bargaining and unionisation; data protection and access to information, rating and appraisal by clients and third parties; algorithm management, surveillance and monitoring, discipline, sanctions, termination of employment; access to justice; life-long learning.
Furthermore, capacity building for social partners will be the key to understand the technologies and uncover AI and algorithms impact and to monitor implementation of fundamental rights and principles at work.
International campaign is needed – encouraged by experience of e.g. Convention on Domestic workers or Violence and Harassment at work – to ensure adoption of a strong standard, its ratification and implementation in practice.
Inputs from the School will be further debated by the PERC Executive Committee meeting in October to formalize regional input to the ITUC led coordination.
The school was financially supported by the ILO-ACTRAV.
