ETUC says no

BusinessEurope believes that there is, in fact, no need for EU regulations on telework and the right to disconnect. The organisation disagrees with the Commission’s description of the situation.

Read this article in Swedish on Arbeidsliv i Norden

For instance, the Commission does not have enough scientific evidence to say there is a widespread work culture that expects employees to always be available. Furthermore, any existing issues can be easily dealt with through existing legislation, such as the Working Time Directive and various occupational health and safety directives.

Nevertheless, BusinessEurope is still prepared to discuss the possibilities of negotiating with ETUC on certain aspects that the Commission has raised in the consultation. 

So why has ETUC said no to negotiations?

The explanation is that the partners have already once failed to conclude an agreement on telework and the right to disconnect that would have been made binding in the Member States through a directive. 

ETUC and BusinessEurope’s responses to consultation

Second-stage consultation of European social partners on possible EU action in the area of telework and workers’ right to disconnect – BusinessEurope’s response

ETUC response to the Commission’s second-phase consultation of the social partners in the area of workers’ right to disconnect and telework

After 13 months of negotiations, the organisations’ negotiators had agreed on a draft text that they expected their principals to approve.

But they did not. Two out of three employer organisations voted against. 

Because of this, reopening negotiations now would be futile, says ETUC, and instead urges the Commission to put forward a legislative proposal without delay.