From forms of employment to protection of rights, experts will discuss the future of the labor market in the context of digitalization

The Federation of Trade Unions of Belarus initiated the large-scale International Strategic Session “Fair Transformation of the Labor Market in the Context of Digital Technologies”, which is aimed at developing new practical mechanisms for protecting the interests of workers in the digital age.

Representatives of national trade unions and trade unions from different countries, international trade unions, the diplomatic corps, the scientific community and independent experts from about 30 countries will gather in Minsk.

The participants focused on the search for coordinated approaches to ensuring decent work, protecting workers’ rights and preserving social guarantees in the context of rapid technological development.

The strategic session aims to unite the efforts of representatives of different countries and professional communities to move from discussing existing issues to finding concrete solutions.

The work of the strategic session includes three thematic areas. The first is the legal regulation of labor relations in the context of digitalization. Participants will consider adapting legislation to new forms of employment and protecting the rights of employees of digital platforms.

Lifelong learning as the foundation of decent work and social justice in an era of technological change. The discussion focuses on the availability of vocational education and retraining, the creation of conditions that allow employees to adapt to the changing requirements of the labor market.

The third platform will be dedicated to ensuring decent work for socially vulnerable groups – youth, women and older workers – in the digital economy. Mechanisms to prevent discrimination, increase employment opportunities and ensure equal access to professional development and social guarantees will be discussed.

The format of the strategic session will allow to compare national experience, identify common priorities and formulate proposals that can be used to improve approaches to the regulation of labor relations in different countries.

The result of this joint work will be the adoption of a document fixing a common vision of approaches to a fair transformation of the labor market. This document will take into account the best international practices and will become the basis for further steps to implement the principles of ILO Convention No. 193 in the national legislation of countries around the world.