In Europe, transport is a key economic sector, accounting for 4.8% of the GDP of the 28 Member States of the European Union, or €548 billion, and generating 11 million jobs or 5% of EU workforce. The European Transport industry is characterized by increasing internationalisation, regulatory changes and restructuring since the 1990s. Consequently, the movement of mergers and acquisitions have led to the creation of larger and transnational entities in some subsectors.

The major transport companies (multinationals) represent less than 2% of the total number of companies in the transport sector in EU-27, although they employ nearly half of the workers in the whole of the transport sector in Europe. European Works’ Councils are therefore essential steps for upholding social rights and improving the working conditions of European workers.

The industrial revolution 4.0 is here and is here to stay. In its path, many jobs in transport will be at risk, some at the very short term such as parcel delivery services, and many in the medium term.  Automation & digitalisation do not make any distinction and will impact on all transport and logistics jobs in one way or another.  Some functions will be completely replaced by automated processes, solutions or systems, others will be fundamentally revised.

Works’ Councils at the local, regional and national level – and European Works’ Councils at European level provide the perfect tool to achieve formal involvement through dialogue. Academic evidence clearly indicates that where automation and digitalisation are introduced in a dialogued manner – the transition is smoother and less aggressive for the workers.

With the aim of creating more EWCs in transport and making them more effective, the European Transport Workers’ Federation and Syndex joined their forces in the project “EWC’s in Transport: More and better participation of workers now!”