News

Europe’s largest gathering of ICTS trade unions has opened in Rome with UNI Europa’s ICTS Conference set to run for two days in the Italian capital.

Around 180 delegates from telecoms, IT and business services unions in 22 European countries will attend the meeting, which will be also broadcasted by live stream.

The conference will examine the changing face of work in Europe’s ICTS sector, with debates and discussions set to cover organising, new technologies, digital jobs, and the business models of multinational companies such as Telenor, Deutsche Telekom and Hewlett Packard.

UNI Europa Regional Secretary Oliver Roethig said, “We are delighted to welcome UNI Europa delegates to Rome for what we believe will be a highly strategic conference. We are here to set an innovative and relevant agenda for the future of the ICTS sector in Europe.

“We will look at the challenges that lie ahead and plan how to ensure long-term and sustainable union growth in this crucial work arena. UNI Europa is ready to lead the way and we are upbeat and confident about the future.”

UNI General Secretary Philip Jennings said, “UNI has embarked on an ambitious 'Including You' project to look at the future of work, and ICTS is at the centre of this revolution in work. Our European and global union connectivity will result in new action to give a human face to a fast changing workplace.”

Speakers on Day One will include Professor Philip Taylor of the University of Strathclyde who will present his paper Call Centres: The Challenges of Organizing and Representing Workers.

Taylor will examine the state of play with European call centre jobs, which have shown growth over the last decade despite the financial crisis and off-shoring.

He will look at areas in which unions have strengths and weaknesses in collective bargaining, what encourages call-centre workers to join unions, and what discourages them.

The afternoon session will look at ICTS work in the 21st Century, with presentations on trends in European jobs by Ursula Holtgrewe of FORBA and Professor Francois Silva of Kedge Business School.

Holtgrewe will explain how the ICTS sector is emblematic of growth, progress and innovation in Europe, making up some 6 per cent of employment in OECD countries. The presentation will also look at how the sector can “drive” developments in other sectors.

Rounding of the first day will be presentations on multinationals Telenor, Deutsche Telekom, TeliaSonera and Hewlett Packard.