Boundaries between dependent and atypical employment in Europe

Numerous new forms of employments have emerged in Europe over the last few years, particularly as a result of the technological innovations related to digitisation. One feature they share is that the line between job and private life, dependent and independent work, consumer and producer, and the role of employer and client is becoming increasingly blurred. The research project organised by HIVA – Onderzoeksinstituut voor Arbeid en Samenleving, which was connected to the seminar series of the European Centre for Workers’ Questions (EZA) on the digitisation of work, had the following aim: to analyse the new forms of employment that have emerged in connection with the digitisation transformation, to assess their impact on workers, and to define the main parameters for union action. The main insight in this respect: Workers’ organisations across Europe – also demonstrated by the examples of an on-line survey of EZA member organisations – must expand their traditional field of action and their conventional methods to successfully connect and represent workers in these new forms of employment.