At a time when the European Commission proposes to roll back on regulation for the sake of competitiveness – as reflected once again in the announcements made during the Paris AI Action Summit finishing today – the new digital reality demands new rules to protect workers.
Due to the digital transformation, the world of work is changing rapidly. Management decisions are now increasingly taken by algorithms. We have seen the detrimental effects of algorithmic management for platform workers, but the latest numbers show that 80 per cent of employers are applying these tools in traditional workplaces too. The AI revolution profoundly impacts the working conditions on the shop floor. And it also impacts labour relations between trade unions and businesses.
It is up to the European Union to navigate this interplay of worker data, their data rights and traditional workers’ rights.
Photo credit: Shutterstock / Andranik Hakobyan
