By the EESC Workers' Group

"The political momentum to push for stronger workers' participation rights is now", said Workers' Group president Oliver Röpke, referring to citizens' calls for more democracy in the Conference on the future of Europe and the political leaders' commitment at the Porto Social Summit to implement the European Pillar of Social Rights Action Plan.

With these introductory words, Mr Röpke opened the first ever meeting of an EESC category attended by Workers' Group members, entitled "Workers' voice for more democratic participation", on 19 May 2021.

There is a need for a solid EU framework for mandatory information, consultation and participation of workers in corporate decision-making processes, as the key to a fair green and digital transition. This is highlighted by the serious threats to workers' participation rights, such as company restructuring, the relocation of jobs to Asia or the introduction of new technologies or AI processes, which may radically change job profiles within a company or make many workers redundant, without giving workers, who are those most affected by these changes, the chance to participate in decision-making.

Other threats, as several members reported, hinting to recent attacks on collective bargaining, stem from governments trying to restrict workers' rights and weaken the role of the social partners in economic and political decision-making. The creation of the Category coincides with an initiative from the European Parliament to strengthen democracy at work. Gabriele Bischoff, former Workers' Group President and EP rapporteur for the report "Democracy at work: A European framework for employees' participation rights and the revision of the European Works Council Directive", presented her text, which is currently in preparation, stressing that resilience and democracy at work were key elements of a sustainable company.

The Category will act as a forum for discussion of this issue with the EU institutions, social partners and other stakeholders, with the aim of placing the topic of more democracy at work high on the EU political agenda and encouraging its mainstreaming in the EESC's work. (prp)