Making work fit for workers after Covid-19
The welfare state sought to protect workers from labour-market risks. After Covid-19, reduced working time and greater autonomy must be on the agenda.
Corona versus culture
The pandemic closed theatres, concerts and exhibitions, imperilling many freelances. How will the creative industry re-emerge?
Social democracy in one corner of the world
Branko Milanovic argues that ‘stop the world, we want to get off’ is no basis for a revival of progressive politics.
Assar Lindbeck: an appreciation
The Swedish economist’s life of rich activity straddled theory and policy—and painting.
Enclosing the market
Despite increasing criticism of Big Tech, the business models of leading digital companies are still widely admired. That’s a problem.
The European minimum wage will come—but how?
The principle of a European minimum wage is established. How it should be set is not.
Trade unions need new strategies
With employers on a decades-long offensive against labour, the balance of power which once secured social dialogue has been transformed.
The politics of currencies
Adam Tooze argues that worrying about the euro exchange rate and a non-existent inflation enemy in Europe must give way to fiscal and monetary demand boosts.
Renovating Europe: a path to green recovery
A green recovery from the pandemic would heal its social scars by quickly creating jobs and fostering inclusion.
Estonia top of the (digital) class
After the summer holidays, schools across Europe have been fretting about if and when they will have to switch back to digital distance learning—but not in Estonia.
Including the precariat
The coronavirus crisis has highlighted how the welfare state of the future must include the growing mass of precarious labour, especially among youth.
Shifting the burden: can Covid-19 do it for women’s unpaid work?
Lockdown conditions have put in question the disproportionate burden of unpaid work placed on women, evidence from Turkey shows.
Hazardous! Occupational safety and health in the care economy during the pandemic
Protecting the health and safety of all workers in the care economy is essential, but for this to become a reality major changes are needed.
The EU needs a new story on race and inclusion
If the sensitising impact of ‘Black Lives Matter’ is not to ebb, a new European narrative and concrete actions are needed.
Workers’ rights: negotiating and co-governing digital systems at work
Algorithmic systems are a new front line for unions as well as a challenge to workers’ rights to autonomy.
Anticipating the Covid-19 restructuring tsunami
There’s time to avoid the carnage of employer-led restructuring following the pandemic—but only if workers and unions set the agenda.
Workers in critical occupations face triple disadvantage
At the height of the pandemic workers in critical occupations enjoyed nightly public applause. Now they need longer-term, concrete appreciation.