The world is being transformed in ways that will profoundly challenge human society. Trade unions need to understand how these will impact the world of work so that they can play their part in shaping the new realities. With this in mind a major conference organised by the ETUC and ETUI will bring together globally-renowned experts to debate some of the most pressing issues confronting workers, unions and governments.

 

The conference will address several megatrends impacting working life. First, the free movement of capital, services and people is altering the allocation of jobs throughout the European internal market. Second, climate change and the energy transition are making many occupations obsolete, while at the same time creating new ‘green’ jobs in emerging sectors and industries. Third, the demographic transition is changing the structure of the labour force and challenging social security systems. Finally, the digitalisation of the economy is set to disrupt the processes of production, employment and work conditions on an unprecedented scale.

 

So far, these transitions have been studied and reflected on independently from one another. As a result, conclusions about what the future holds, and the ensuing policy recommendations, vary according to the particular transition in question. What is now needed is for the different projections to be put together and analysed in tandem in order to fully understand the multiple and complex consequences for the world of work. Will all these changes create one new world of work, or many? How can trade unions engage with these developments and what strategies are there to cope with them? What should a new industrial policy look like in the sectors severely affected - such as energy, transport and construction? What skills will be needed and how can trade unions participate to ensure that workers are offered the required training and education?

 

These are some of the questions the 3rd ETUC/ETUI conference on the future of work will deal with. The overall format - plenaries and smaller panels - has proven very successful and will remain the same. However, added emphasis will be put on enriching the debate and provoking discussion through innovative sessions and greater opportunities for interaction.