Digitalisation is currently revolutionising almost every aspect of life, and working life is no exception. In global production of goods and services, the ways of working and the terms of employment relationships are changing rapidly due to the development of automation, robotisation, digitalisation and artificial intelligence. This will significantly change the functioning of the labour market.
Good or bad digitalisation?
According to many societal actors, digitalisation solves almost any challenge, whether it is the insufficient number of nurses in healthcare or inequality between different groups of people.
It is true that digitalisation brings a lot of good opportunities.
New technologies enable productivity growth and economic renewal in ways that support and protect decent work. For example, the ethics of production chains could be ensured by monitoring working conditions in real time, and digitalisation can reduce workload and occupational accidents.
Working conditions and quality of life can be improved if technology is used well.
Unfortunately, however, there are signs that digitalisation is advancing at the expense of human rights, decent work, equality and social security. It has presented workers with a series of new challenges to which the trade union movement must respond.
Automation and robotisation will take jobs
The rapid development of technology leads to the disappearance of more and more professions and the mechanization of work tasks. This also applies to many professions requiring long training.
Those who lose their jobs may be less able to take on new challenges. According to some views, as a result, very few or no new jobs are created in the formal economy. At the same time, permanent employment relationships disappear or become fixed term.
The employer uses technology to monitor
With the development of digital technology, the possibilities to monitor employees have increased. Monitoring has become more pervasive and continuous.
Surveillance through technology is not transparent, so employees may not know what information is being obtained about them and in what way.
A particular problem is that technology enables employee supervision even in non-work-related matters.
Data management is a key issue
Employers collect huge amounts of data about us and use it for our recruitment, dismissal, promotion and disciplinary action. Employees are managed with data – data is the oil of today.
We do not know exactly what information is collected about us and how, what the data is used for and to which third parties the data is given – either free of charge or for a fee. The key question is: Who owns the data? Currently, it is mostly owned by technology companies that sell their data collection services.
Platform work becoming more common
Temporary agency work and self-employment through the platform economy will continue to increase. Many employees must settle for platform economy and informal economy jobs, where they have no employment contract, employment relationship or certainty about the continuity of work or income.
Platform work creates uncertainty and inequality in the labour market and at the same time erodes the tax bases of societies.
Digitalisation creates winners and losers
If left on its current path, digitalisation is likely to increase inequalities across regions and genders. Digitalisation creates winners and losers.
This can already be seen in different countries: Europe, led by the Nordic countries, benefits on average more from the changes brought to working life by digitalisation than the countries of the Global South.
In the global south, digitalisation often means lost jobs and worsening working conditions.
The benefits of digitalisation belong to everyone
The goal of SASK and the trade union movement is that digitalisation in the workplace should leave no one behind but should also benefit the most vulnerable workers in the Global South. We need to make sure that employees are involved in planning the introduction of technology.
We must also ensure that technology has a positive impact on the quality of jobs and on the conditions for job creation. Digitalisation and innovation must promote better living conditions and more equal societies.
What is the role of SASK?
SASK highlights the challenges posed by digitalisation to employees in developing countries.
We want to increase our partners’ expertise in the topic and support them in finding solutions to the challenges posed by digitalisation.
Digitalization was a major topic of discussion among SASK’s partners in 2023. Many unions wanted to participate in trainings and discussions on the subject. The reason is clear: employers around the world are increasingly adopting various digital tools in the workplace, and this has direct impacts on workers’ positions and working conditions.
Job losses due to automation were at the top of the unions’ agendas. There was also growing concern about data rights. Additionally, the rise of platform work led to increased efforts to organize platform workers globally.
Projects related to digitalisation or platform work
In a few SASK projects, digitalisation and platform work are key themes. In the projects, trade unions in the Global South create solutions to utilise digitalisation and respond to the challenges it brings.
Click below for an overview of SASK’s projects most closely related to the theme.
Employee rights in the Amazon Group
Global conglomerate Amazon’s Indian company tramples on workers’ rights to maximize its profits. Employees have reported, for example, inadequate pay, short-term contracts, time pressure and resulting injuries, and difficulty in obtaining holidays. Amazon uses surveillance technology to collect information about its employees unethically.
The aim of the project is to establish an organisation for workers in the Amazon of India to promote unionisation and provide them with education on their rights. It also campaigned for social security, freedom of association and other key issues to influence Indian legislation.
In 2023, Amazon workers drafted a petition demanding better working conditions for those employed at Amazon. The workers’ organization also updated its list of demands to Amazon, aligning it with the needs of its members. The list includes a requirement that employees’ productivity targets must consider their physical and mental condition. Additionally, the organization participated in the international Make Amazon Pay campaign in several cities across India.
Details
Transport workers’ rights in Asia
In India and Indonesia, there are shortcomings reflected in workers’ rights, for example, in social security, the implementation of labour law and the regulation of companies. Platform workers are particularly vulnerable. Among other things, the project will improve their safety, support and incentives.
In 2023, with the support from SASK, a platform workers’ law was successfully enacted in Rajasthan, ensuring social security for platform workers in the state. The law is considered a significant achievement both nationally and internationally. The Delhi city government also decided to upgrade the panic buttons for ride-hailing service providers, thereby enhancing the safety of platform workers.
Workers’ rights in Latin America
Teleperformance, the world’s largest ICT service centre company, digitally monitors its employees digitally in an unacceptable way: they only get paid for the seconds the keyboard or mouse is in use.
The project strengthens private sector trade unions in Colombia and Brazil to make decent work a reality, for example in Teleperformance. Communication campaigns in both countries help unions bring decent work and livelihoods and digital surveillance into the public debate.
In 2023, project partners established a union for Amazon workers. Amazon also agreed to meet with representatives of the union. Additionally, several unions included clauses in collective bargaining agreements related to the digitalisation of the financial sector. Furthermore, UNI negotiated a global framework agreement with Teleperformance.
Health workers’ rights in Latin America
The realisation of health workers’ rights is hampered by, for example, artificial intelligence, teleworking, automation, digitalisation and electronic management of health data.
The project will increase the capacity of health trade unions to defend workers’ rights in Colombia, Brazil and Guatemala. From a digital perspective, there will be a particular focus on preventing the misuse of data, the challenges posed by teleworking and excessive use of electronic devices, and the right to disconnect from work.
In 2023, healthcare unions successfully established a regional health federation in the Americas. SASK expert gave a presentation on the impacts of digitalisation on workers at the founding meeting. As a result, digitalisation and data rights were also added to the federation’s agenda.
Improved working conditions in the Philippines’ food industry
Employers in the food and beverage industry in the Philippines, along with some parts of the government, are hostile to workers’ organizing efforts. Many union members and their families face threats, putting their safety at risk. The project aims to improve livelihoods, job security, and create a safer work environment for food and beverage industry workers.
The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated automation in the food and beverage industry. For instance, Universal Robina, one of the largest food and beverage companies in the Philippines, has reduced its workforce as automation has progressed.
In 2023, the Philippine central organization SENTRO adopted a resolution on automation and digitalisation at its union congress. Additionally, three unions succeeded in adding clauses on the implementation of technology in the workplace to their collective bargaining agreements.
Digitalisation in SASK programme 2026–2029
In the next programme cycle 2026–2029 SASK aims to strengthen workers’ rights in the phase of digitalisation in the world of work. Focus areas are:
- Digital rights of workers in data governance
- Digital surveillance and algorithmic management
- Leaving no-one behind in for example automation
- Fighting the precariousness of labour markets, for example platform work.
See background paper for partners for further information.
Networks and working groups
SASK networks with the international trade union movement on issues related to digitalisation. Important partners are trade union solidarity organisations, especially in the Nordic countries, the Netherlands and Germany.
Together with project partners and other actors, experiences and strategies will be exchanged, studies will be commissioned, and cooperation will be coordinated to maximise its overall impact.
In Finland, SASK has created a Digitalisation and Work network with its member organisations, where the topic is discussed from a global perspective, challenges and opportunities in different industries, and experiences are exchanged.
In SASK’s domestic operations, digitalisation can be seen, for example, in trainings and campaigns.
SASK is a member of the Digital Working Group of the Development Policy Committee, which has commissioned an external study on the significance of digitalisation in development cooperation. The working group drew up the mandate for the report and has acted as its steering group.
Most of SASK’s project work is carried out together with international trade unions and their member organisations. Below you will find their policies and those of the International Labour Organization (ILO).
- ILO: Digital labour platform
- ITUC: Industrial transformation – the future of work
- World Federation of Industrial Workers IndustriALL: Industry 4.0
- World Federation of Public Service Workers (PSI): Digitalisation
- World Federation of Private Service Workers (UNI): A New Working Life
- World Federation of Transport Workers (ITF): The Future of Work
Contact
Would you like to learn more about digitalisation and new forms of work?
Contact Camilla Lohenoja, camilla.lohenoja@sask.fi, +358 45 206 6840.
