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For more than a year, the European social partners have been trying to renegotiate the 2002 framework agreement on telework and get a European directive on the subject. But on 9 November 2002, the employers’ organisations BusinessEurope and SME United rejected the compromise text. They allegedly cited differences in national legislation.
Today, European workers’ organisations are calling on the European Commission to take swift legislative action. According to the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC), regulating telework has become even more urgent since the pandemic. “People regularly working from home are six times more likely to work in their free time and twice as likely to work 48 hours”. A directive should:
- Guarantee the existing right to disconnect;
- Ensure equal pay and equal treatment for teleworkers;
- Protect privacy and prevent invasive monitoring;
- Ensure that the decision to telework is in the hands of the worker and is not intended to replace the job;
- Guarantee the involvement of trade unions through collective bargaining in the design and implementation of telework.
Eurocadres is also calling on the European Commission to launch a directive. “While we are disappointed by the direction taken by our colleagues, the need for binding measures on telework and the right to disconnect is of paramount importance for European professionals and managers”, said President Nayla Glaise.
To find out more:
European Framework Agreement 2002
EUROGIP report “Teleworking and accidents at work in seven European countries”
