Do telework and digital work contribute really to a greater working freedom?
Not if the labour legislation remains being what it is, if trade unions are still at company doors, if workers are still persecuted by thinking differently, if the normal working day is not reduced, etc. In this context, teleworking from home can only mean more exploitation and greater subjugation of worker –and his family– to work.
In many places, due to the need to confine our professional activity in our living space, teleworking has been seen as a panacea for many evils, among them the difficulty of reconciling working and professional life.
New forces are transforming in the working world. COVID-19 pandemic has social and political consequences: a «virtualisation of human life» and a social control” has been established. The world as we knew was stopped at the beginning of 2020 and the governments, supporting by science, had to implement measures to save lives.
It is true that life goes on, but undoubtedly we have adopted the most unusual way of working of this generation. The challenge for policy makers is how to remain protecting people’s life and health without, at the same time, causing any irreversible damage to the economy.
In this sense, the physical distancing measures, such as the closure of schools, suspending flights, banning large meetings and closing workplaces, were an early tool in fighting against the virus to contain its spread. Meanwhile, telework is booming.
Between January and March in 2020, as the Covid-19 virus infection spread around the world, governments called on employers to close their companies and, if possible, to implement to full-time telework for their workers, with very little time preparation time both employers and workers. Based on the reality of world population hard hit by this pandemic, different activists of national movements affiliated to WMCW give their testimonies and encourage us to reflect and open our eyes to the world.
Rodrigues Island- Indian Ocean (Region of Africa), Jean Claude Tolbize, LOAC Rodrigues activist and WMCW co-chairman, underlines the significant increase of unemployed people on the islands due to the lack of tourists. These people have not access to telework because of their function. This situation also happens in other continents: Africa, Europe, Asia and America.
Singapore (East Asia).Sinapan Samydorai, activist and councillor of CFSM Singapore for his region, explains how teleworker uses the communication tools to perform working tasks at home or in a remote location.
Brazil (South America). Mariah Francisco and Mariléa Damasio points out that telework, also called «home office», is not new. Many companies have been joined to this working model due to the new regulations of social isolation during the COVID-19 pandemic that started at the beginning of 2020.
South Tyrol, Italy (Europe). The national coordination of KVW movement, presents the actions carried out by movement activists with young people to help them to a better technical, social and political training so that every human being is at the centre of development.
Centroafrican Republic (CRA) (Africa). The vicepresident, Joseph Roméo, explains that inside his movement, many members come from the informal economy: market sellers, welders, carpenters, farmers, pensioners, etc. therefore, it is difficult for these people stay at home because these workers earn their daily bread.
Portugal (Europe). LOC/MCW activist, Ricardo Coelho, presents his testimony. His daily life has change radically. The morning rush hour traffic has disappeared, but also the usual breakfast with his colleagues: he works from home.
Josep Jiménez Montejo. Chaplain ACO Spain and of European coordination MCW Europe informs about the seminar organised by European Movement in 2018 with the topic «Digital work. Working anytime and anywhere. Impact on workers and their families».•Between the wish of autonomy and the need of a legal and regulatory framework for work.
The reality lived by workers in the four continents where WMCW is present with their training and commitment actions, thus allow us to analyse and deepen our own situation and commitment, in the light of the experiences and actions carried out by others around the world.
ILO (International Labour Organisation) observatory has highlighted the devastating effects that pandemic continues to have on employment and working incomes, as of early 2020, as well as, the widespread negative impact on the labour market. Therefore, the policy makers will have to continue to support employment and income security in the next months, including 2021, and to address the main challenges posed by the pandemic. Harmonisation and planning at political, health, economic and social levels remain essential to ensure that working men and women, especially the poorest, are not further affected by this international health crisis.
Mariléa Damasio General Secretary of the WMCW
