ETUC Resolution on 2021 – Year for More Democracy at Work

Democracy at work, a key democratic feature to voice workers’ interests and participate in the decision-making processes in businesses, is currently under attack:

• Companies too often do not comply with their legal obligations to involve workers’ representatives before taking decisions which will impact jobs and working conditions.
• Board-level representation is repeatedly ignored or circumvented.
• Public authorities barely intervene to ensure that workers’ rights to timely information and meaningful consultation are fully enforced.
• New business models, bogus subcontracting chains and letterbox companies are on the rise to the detriment of workers’ rights.

To counter this attack, the ETUC proposes declaring 2021 the Year for More Democracy at Work with two main objectives:

1) Make More Democracy at Work a priority on the agenda of the EU institutions and national governments, and
national governments and to lobby for:

• the revision of the EWC recast directive;
• new horizontal framework on information, consultation and board-level
  participation of workers for European company forms and for companies
  making use of company mobility instruments;

2) Strengthen Democracy at Work to address the consequences of the pandemic in a responsible manner across all workplaces, such as:

• erroneous transpositions of EU legislation;
• monitoring of compliance with existing regulations;
• enforcement of information, consultation rights;
• raising awareness of the general public about the importance and output of Democracy at work.

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To read more about the objectives and the relevant actions foreseen as part of the initiative, please access the full ETUC resolution on 2021 – Year for More Democracy at Work online here or download it in Pdf here.

For more information about the ETUC’s commitment to democracy at work, please visit its dedicated website here.