The Growing Role of AI in European Workplaces
Artificial intelligence and algorithmic management tools are increasingly shaping European workplaces, raising significant concerns about worker rights. According to a European Commission study, one in four workplaces in Europe uses algorithms or AI to automate decisions traditionally made by human managers. This trend is expected to accelerate rapidly in the coming decade.
These automated systems impact various aspects of workers’ lives, from recruitment and task scheduling to performance evaluations and even surveillance. While these tools were initially limited to platform-based jobs like those for Uber and Lyft, they’re now spreading to traditional sectors as well. For instance, the French logistics industry uses AI-powered route planning that extensively monitors drivers in real time.
The Impact on Worker Rights
The European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) expresses growing concern about how these technologies affect workers. Algorithmic management can determine everything from working hours and wages to shift assignments and performance assessments. There are also serious privacy concerns, with some systems collecting sensitive data like mental health information, and others tracking employees even after they’ve logged off.
“The platforms are tracking employees even when they log off,” noted Tea Jarc, confederal secretary of the ETUC. “In many cases, these workplaces introduce new algorithms or metrics to measure employee performance without informing trade unions or the workers.”
This technological shift creates significant challenges for trade unions. While some unions like those in Spain and Denmark have successfully negotiated collective agreements addressing algorithmic management, most European unions lack the financial resources or expertise to tackle these complex issues effectively.
Legislative Gaps and Calls for Reform
Despite these concerns, current EU legislation doesn’t fully address the challenges posed by algorithmic management. Existing regulations focus on specific workplace issues affected by these technologies but leave gaps, particularly regarding the distinction between work and rest time.
The recently passed Platform Workers Directive offers some protection for gig economy workers, prohibiting dismissal based on algorithmic decisions and requiring human oversight. However, critics argue this legislation is already outdated as algorithmic management spreads beyond platform work.
Both ETUC officials and technology researchers call for more comprehensive regulations. Alessio Bertolini from the Oxford Internet Institute notes, “What we’re going to see more in the next few years is only a more sophisticated version of algorithms that are definitely more pervasive in the workplace.”
The Need for Collective Action
To address these challenges, unions need adequate resources and expertise. The ETUC advocates for shared expertise across borders to help unions with fewer resources develop appropriate collective agreements. They also emphasize the need for stronger collective rights, allowing unions to resolve disputes related to algorithmic management and enforce existing collective agreements.
“We as legislators, we are lagging behind,” Jarc stated. “Technology is already taking over… it’s already a reality for millions and millions of workers across Europe, but it’s not being regulated.”
The European Trade Union Confederation is advocating for a separate directive on AI in the workplace, to be launched alongside the EU Commission’s Quality Job Roadmap initiative. This would build on existing protections from regulations like the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the EU AI Act, creating a more comprehensive framework for protecting workers in the age of algorithmic management
