Twice a year, ETUC organizes national workshops in order to increase awareness within the trade union movement about the world of standards, their influence at the workplace, and their development process. On 22 May, together with Spanish trade union USO, ETUC organized a national workshop in Madrid, Spain, which was kindly hosted on the premises of UNE, the Spanish Association for Standardization.
Speakers contributed by sharing insights into what standardization is, why it is important for trade unions, and how it works at both the EU and national level. Participants further learnt about the role in this field of the European Commission and of the Spanish Association for Standardization (UNE). Practical case studies were also shared with participants, with a focus on standardization in relation to artificial intelligence and the quality of air in plane cabins.
An important message shared during the meeting is that, while ETUC opposes new standardization activities covering worker-related issues that are better addressed through legislation and collective bargaining, it participates in the standardization work that can have an impact on the daily lives of workers to ensure workers’ concerns and priorities are duly taken into account.
