The Road to Digitalization: CMKOS Paving the Way for Social Dialogue in a Digital World
© CMKOSDigitalization has reshaped the world of work, redefining skill requirements, working conditions, and the structure of social dialogue. The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated digital transformation, pushing organisations into new digital realms and fundamentally altering communication and collaboration across Europe. Social partners now benefit from digital tools that enhance member interaction, consultation processes, and address declining membership. However, this shift also presents challenges, such as the need for digital skills and regulatory frameworks to ensure decent working conditions and data protection. CMKOS leveraged these lessons to explore what digitalization could mean for social dialogue and to enhance the digital capacity of trade unions.
Did you know?
Digitalization involves using digital technology to streamline work processes, automate routine tasks, and convert analog processes to digital, thereby freeing up time and resources and improving decision-making.
Digital transformation goes further, creating entirely new business models, products, and services through innovative use of digitalization and data.
Institutions and social partners are essential in adapting technology, not only within their own organisations but also in shaping how technology is implemented across society. The project “Digital Trade Unionism – Possibilities and Opportunities” explored the opportunities and risks of digital transformation for trade unions, considering new business models based on digital platforms. The project looked into whether trade unions should continue as socially based organisations or transition to an online environment, meaning a transformation of how we think of social partners and social dialogue.
The project “Digital Trade Unionism – Possibilities and Opportunities” focused on three main areas: digital “mindsetting,” consultations and workshops with top experts, and learning from the digitalization experiences of trade unions abroad. By focusing on how we think of technology, looking to experts and partners abroad, it successfully mapped the current state of digital social dialogue, and strengthened it through transparent potential digital setups for trade unions in the Czech Republic. CMKOS actively tries to moderate future developments in the digital environment, enhancing transparency and social dialogue in the Czech Republic.
The project also improved CMKOS’s members’ knowledge and insight into specific digital tools and AI, addressing varying levels of digital competence within the organisation. It highlighted the ongoing challenges of modern digital trade unionism but also the immense opportunities for social dialogue and member engagement. This mapping and training of digital competence will increase the capacity of CMKOS and its affiliates, allowing them to work more effectively by using technology.
Recognizing the need for digital transformation knowledge, the CMKOS project developed a methodical proposal for Model Provisions for Implementation in Internal Documents of Trade Unions, legally establishing the possibility of digital meetings and online voting. Twelve CMKOS affiliates have already adopted this proposal.
The Norwegian partner, LO, contributed to the project with their expertise in digitalization and insights from the Nordic Model of social dialogue. This partnership not only deepened cooperation between CMKOS and LO, and between the Czech Republic and Norway, but also helped build capacity of CMKOS and share know-how from Norway.
Learning to use digital tools changes how we operate, and this project has successfully lowered the threshold for rethinking social dialogue in a digital environment.