{"id":1446,"date":"2025-03-28T12:01:09","date_gmt":"2025-03-28T11:01:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/unieuropaconference.org\/?post_type=news&p=1446"},"modified":"2025-03-28T11:22:26","modified_gmt":"2025-03-28T11:22:26","slug":"6th-uni-europa-conference-closes-with-powerful-call-to-defend-democracy","status":"publish","type":"news","link":"https:\/\/unieuropaconference.org\/news\/6th-uni-europa-conference-closes-with-powerful-call-to-defend-democracy\/","title":{"rendered":"6th UNI Europa Conference closes with powerful call to defend democracy"},"content":{"rendered":"

The closing day of the 6th UNI Europa opened with a debate on one of the most pressing challenges facing the modern labour movement: the rise of AI and its growing influence across service sectors, and the increasing hostility of some tech companies towards unions and democracy.<\/p>\n

\u201cSixty-six percent of BECTU members think the impact of AI will be negative,\u201d said Philippa Childs<\/strong> (BECTU, UK), highlighting a widespread sense of unease among creative workers. \u201cThe current lack of transparency is already harming creators \u2013 especially freelancers and the self-employed. We need enforceable safeguards.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"Union voices from across Europe echoed that sentiment. Elke Maes<\/strong> (ACV-PULS, Belgium) and Odysseus Chatzidis<\/strong> (ver.di, Germany) called for GDPR-compliant data governance, while Mari Carmen Donate<\/strong> (FESMC-UGT, Spain) demanded that AI-driven decisions always be supervised by human oversight to prevent discrimination.<\/p>\n

\u201cAI should help workers progress \u2013 not increase pressure on them,\u201d warned Fr\u00e9d\u00e9ric Favraud<\/strong> (FEC-FO, France), reflecting a common concern about technology being used as a tool of control rather than empowerment.<\/p>\n

In the banking sector, Corine Ferreira<\/strong> (FSPBA-CGT, France) described a quiet but devastating transformation. \u201cDigitalisation was imposed, and the promised job creation never materialised. Meanwhile, profits are up and wages have stagnated.\u201d<\/p>\n

From the entertainment industry, Riccardo Saccone<\/strong> (SLC-CGIL, Italy) stressed the need for binding European legislation: \u201cGenerative AI is undermining copyright protections. No worker must be left alone in this. We need new social protections \u2013 and a new welfare state.\u201d<\/p>\n

The day was marked by both caution and ambition. Annette Mikelsen<\/strong> (Finansforbundet, Denmark) shared a bold initiative to train one million Danes in AI skills through a national digital partnership. \u201cLet\u2019s make AI a source of better jobs and not a threat to livelihoods.\u201d<\/p>\n

Heidi Bang<\/strong> (Negotia, Norway) struck a defiant tone: \u201cBig Tech wants AI to look like magic \u2013 to replace us, to concentrate power. But progress will not be handed to us. We have to fight for it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Peter Hellberg, <\/strong>President of Unionen and UNI Europa, recalled the central role of unions in the defence of democracy: \u201cOur democratic way to manage our unions is carried out through meeting discussion and respect to make joint decision. As a movement we must protect the democratic process and include new groups of people. Democracy is endangered everywhere in the world.<\/p>\n

\"\"UNI Global Union\u2019s General Secretary Christy Hoffman<\/strong> made a call to action: “In these dark and difficult times, the path ahead is tough \u2013 but the answer is clear. Workers are counting on us. Only unions have the power to fight back against oligarchs, demand ethical use of AI, and defend democracy \u2013 both at the bargaining table and in the halls of parliament. It may not be new or sexy, but this is our core mission. We must act with courage, because together, we are unbreakable.”<\/p>\n

UNI Global Union President Gerald Dwyer<\/strong> added, \u201cCollective bargaining is more critical than ever. No company reflects the stakes of this fight more than Amazon \u2013 and it\u2019s inspiring to see UNI affiliates lead the charge.\u201d<\/p>\n

UNI Europa Regional Secretary Oliver Roethig <\/strong>reminded delegates what they came to Belfast for: \u201cWe want real say and more pay for services workers across Europe \u2013 and that is what we can achieve through collective bargaining.\u201d<\/p>\n

With overwhelming majorities, Oliver Roethig<\/strong> and Peter Hellberg<\/strong> were re-elected<\/a> as regional secretary and president respectively, while Lieveke Norga<\/strong> from ACV Puls became<\/a> 1st vice-president, before the Conference closed passing motions and resolutions on the fight against the far right and for the defence of democracy.<\/p>\n

With the new leadership and a clear strategy for the years ahead, UNI Europa is prepared to strengthen, expand and deepen worker power until the next Conference in 2030.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The closing day of the 6th UNI Europa opened with a debate on one of the most pressing challenges facing the modern labour movement: the rise of AI and its growing influence across service sectors, and the increasing hostility of some tech companies towards unions and democracy. \u201cSixty-six percent of BECTU members think the impact […]<\/p>\n

Read More…<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":39,"featured_media":1449,"template":"","categories":[88],"topics":[123,119,116],"sectors":[],"projects":[],"cross-sector-groups":[],"workers-rights":[],"global-issues":[],"regions":[89],"class_list":["post-1446","news","type-news","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","topics-artificial-intelligence","topics-collective-bargaining","topics-democracy","regions-uni-europa"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n6th UNI Europa Conference closes with powerful call to defend democracy - UNI Europa Regional Conference<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"UNI Europa Conference concluded in Belfast with a clear and urgent message from union leaders to defend democracy.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/unieuropaconference.org\/news\/6th-uni-europa-conference-closes-with-powerful-call-to-defend-democracy\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_GB\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"6th UNI Europa Conference closes with powerful call to defend democracy - 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