24 March 2023

EC WORKSHOP ON IMPACT OF DIGITALISATION/AUTOMATION ON TRANSPORT WORKFORCE

On 21 March, CLECAT participated to the Commission’s stakeholder workshop on the impact of digitalisation and automation in the transport workforce. Representatives of employers’ organisations, trade unions and public authorities got the chance to identify the challenges related to the digital transition in transport and discuss possible solutions.

The main objective of the workshop was to discuss a draft Commission recommendation on the means to mitigate the impact of the transition to automation and digitalisation on the transport workforce. The document comes from the implementation of the action point 69 of the Sustainable and Smart Mobility Strategy, and proposes several recommendations in this regard, including awareness-raising, reskilling and upskilling of workers, improving working conditions, management change and funding of the transition.

Participants advised the Commission to better identify the challenges related to the digital transition, in view of the fact that digitalisation and automation might have different impacts on transport workers. They also emphasised that upskilling and reskilling of workers remains crucial, but that this has to be accompanied by proper social impact assessments to better identify the needs and solutions to address the impact on workers. Finally, participants considered that social dialogue is an important pillar of the transition and must be supported by all parties – employers organisations, trade unions and public authorities. The Commission is expected to publish its final recommendation before the end of 2023.