Digitalisation, and changes in climate and demographics. In many labour markets, the future of work is already the new world of work. In many countries, the effects of the global megatrends are already affecting the lives of working people. Early 2020, Beyond Intent was assigned by Union to Union to research the future of work and its effects on labour markets in developing countries.
The report, which is based on interviews and research before and during Covid-19, focuses on the future of work from an international development cooperation perspective and more specifically on the role of trade union development cooperation. First, it provides an overview of trends in the changing world of work related to developing countries based on relevant studies, publications and initiatives. It illustrates how the three major changes; technology, environmental, and demographics in combination with globalization affects developing countries. The changes in the labour market present an opportunity to create more and better jobs. But it will not happen by itself, it will require wise policy decisions and innovations.
In some countries, as many as 8 in 10 of today’s jobs could be lost, with two-thirds of jobs in developing countries being subject to automation. At the same time, there are opportunities with this change, hazardous jobs involving risks to health and wellbeing can instead be carried out by robots and computers. The greening of our economies will create new greener jobs but other jobs will diminish, be substituted or transformed.
The new challenges come on top of already existing ones. 344 million jobs need to create by 2030, in addition to the 190 million jobs needed to address the unemployment today. In this situation, trade unions are crucial as they represent the most important means for workers to have a voice and are instrumental in mitigating the negative impacts of the current shifts on the labour market. However, trade union density remains low in many developing countries which can have severe negative economic, social and political consequences for workers as well as for society at large.
In the context of rising inequality and new forms of work, social dialogue, i.e. cooperation between workers, employers and governments is more essential than ever. The report provides an analysis of the role of trade unions and how they contribute to the changing world of work. It presents case studies from Kenya, Chile and Vietnam. The best practice testimonies portray many examples where trade unions are far from incapacitated, instead, they are using the transformations as means to find new ways of working