KU Leuven Library © David Mangan

How will the right to disconnect work? The French Disconnection France’s ‘right to disconnect’ was a pioneering attempt to engage with workers’ health and safety in response to the extension of working time precipitated by digitalisation. The concept originated with a decision of the Labour Chamber of the Cour de Cassation in October 2001 (2 October…

Privacy@Work

Considering “privacy@work” In their article of 1890, Warren and Brandeis wrote of a “right to be let alone”. Nowadays, the right to privacy has become a fundamental right, recognised in many international human rights instruments (including Article 12 of the Universal Declaration on Human Rights, and Article 17 of the International Covenant on Civil and…

Brussels Airport

EU aviation sector social dialogue On 25 January 2023, the European Commission published its proposal for strengthening social dialogue. In this post, we argue that EU aviation is a pivotal sector in which social dialogue must not only be utilised, but also flourish. Our argument draws from the way in which this sector has lurched…

KU Leuven, The University Library and the Library ©David Mangan

To what extent, if any, will employers permit hybrid working? Hybrid working involves a split of time for workers performing their duties at the employer’s business location and their own homes (though it is possible to work from another location). This is the concept of remote working discussed here. Remote work may also be discussed…

Are public sector workers called upon to subsidise public sector services? As attention turns away from the Covid-19 pandemic and towards the economic challenges it created, a familiar discussion point arises: how do governments now reduce and/or restrain public spending? Drawing from the immediate past The reduction/restraint approach was adopted in response to the Great…

International Labour Organisation, Geneva © David Mangan

What scope is there for social partner dialogue? The current economic situation remains affected by the Covid-19 pandemic; whether it is directly related to the virus’ variants or the effects of emerging from lockdown.[1] Given these circumstances, the European Commission’s recent activity is positive, even if we may criticise the details. One of the larger…