We Work Europe

Factories that used to manufacture trains or steel are now being used by the arms industry. Companies such as Rheinmetall, Thales and Leonardo are offering workers new jobs. Consulting firms promise an economic boost thanks to investments in rearmament. However, economist Nan Tian of SIPRI is sceptical. From an economic perspective, he argues against these investments. They would be better spent o...

In a 2025 press conference, EU president Ursula von der Leyen claimed that we are living in an era of rearmament. Consequently, Europe must invest more in defence and security. An EU-wide strategy would be highly effective, according to Annegret Bendiek, a political scientist at the German Institute for International and Security Affairs. However, the EU's strength is also its weakness: its 27 mem...

In February 2022, Russia attacked Ukraine. Since then, many people have lost their lives and large parts of the country have been destroyed. The population continues to fight back to this day, while also trying to lead normal lives. Meet Lyudmyla Vysotska, a kindergarten teacher in Lviv, who juggles her work with children with the constant pressure of having family on the front line. Eleanor Hitch...

Reducing working hours is a phenomenon that started in the 20th century. The third and final episode of this mini-series focuses on science. At the University of Münster, Germany, Julia Backmann and her team research the impact of the four-day-work week. She has conducted an experiment with dozens of organizations that have reduced working hours. Her results are in favor of this model and in line...

For Giorgos Valasis a regular work week consists of 6 days. After his shift as a bus driver in Athens he finds himself constantly exhausted. He’s frightened by the fact that his government passed a law to enable 13 hours per day. While Giorgios and a lot of his working colleges take this fight into the streets of Athens to prevent the liberalisation of working hours, a German CEO changed his compa...

Questioning working time has always been a big issue for both workers and employers. In a three-part series of We Work Europe, we take a closer look at different models. The first episode follows the Greek government’s attempt to increase working time. It’s purpose is to fight the shortage of skilled workforce as well as undeclared work. Deputy minister of labour and social security, Konstantinos...

What happens when you wait 25 years for EU membership – and are still told you’re not ready? In this episode, we look at Bosnia and Herzegovina, where hopes for accession remain high but frustrations are growing. We hear from politicians and experts about stalled reforms, mass emigration, and the risk of losing the country’s future to other powers. Can Bosnia still find its place in the European U...

On his 34th birthday in 1989, Dr. Konstantin Trenchev helped found Bulgaria’s first independent trade union – PODKREPA. What began as a small act of defiance soon turned into a movement that shaped Bulgaria’s path to democracy and EU accession. In this episode, we revisit the turbulent years around the fall of communism, the struggles of early trade unionists, and the promises and pitfalls of Bulg...

What happens when the promise of prosperity in the EU doesn’t match reality? In this first episode, we start in Sofia, Bulgaria, where strikes and low wages reveal the frustrations of many citizens. We hear from journalists, union leaders, and researchers about the struggles of EU integration, the rising cost of living, and why the expected “convergence” never fully arrived. Join us as we explore...

In the final episode of "Inside Gen Z," we explore how trade unions are working to engage young people in the labor market. Despite a general lack of awareness about unions among youth, initiatives like the CNV's youth department in the Netherlands and Krifa's TikTok presence in Denmark aim to attract younger members. Through real-life examples, including the successful unionization of Starbucks e...

The second episode of "Inside Gen Z" delves into common prejudices, such as the belief that Gen Z is lazy or unwilling to work. Contrary to these stereotypes, studies reveal that Gen Z is actually more committed and engaged than previous generations. Experts like Helle Stenbro and Wouter Vandenabeele discuss the origins of these misconceptions and emphasize the importance of understanding individu...

In the first episode of "Inside Gen Z", a three-part series by We Work Europe, you will meet Barbara Mogensen, a 22-year-old student from Denmark, who shares her own journey, including her recent departure from a part-time job in the software industry and her commitment to her podcast "Espresso Yourself", where she interviews various professionals about their career paths. This episode explores Ge...

In the last instalment of our three-part series on sexualised violence in the workplace, we take a look at the legislation and why things have changed recently. We talk to Victor Hugo Ricco from the ILO about Convention 190, which for the first time addresses sexualised violence in the workplace internationally. And we talk to Evin Incir from the EU Parliament about the directive on gender-based v...

In this second episode, we take a closer look at the results of a study investigating sexualised violence in the academic environment. The figures are shocking, but also explainable, says researcher Anne Laure Humbert, who worked on the study. In addition, another woman reports on her experiences of sexualised violence in the workplace and a trade unionist gives tips on how every colleague can bec...

Adela S. from Spain has sued her former boss, who systematically harassed her and six female colleagues for sexist reasons. This is not an isolated case, as sexualised violence in the workplace is omnipresent. In this episode, we delve into this complex topic, talk to psychologists, a manager of a women's refuge and discuss ways of escaping the spiral of violence in the workplace.

In this final episode of our three-part series, we follow Leonard Müller, a Lieferando rider in Berlin, as he navigates a challenging works council election, despite the company’s attempts to cancel it. We also explore the legal fight for platform workers’ rights in other countries, with perspectives from trade unionists Veit Groß, Martin Willems, and Luigi Mansi, who successfully negotiated a nat...

The pressure of ratings: In the second episode of this three-part series we delve into the world of platform company ratings. While some companies appear to offer fair working conditions, deeper inspection often reveals they merely meet the minimum standards. We speak with Tobias Kuttler from Fair Work, who evaluates platforms on fairness, and Giada Gerotto from Creative Words, a translation platf...

Plaform work with decent working conditions: Is it possible? In the first episode of this three-part series we follow Leonard Müller, a food courier for Lieferando in Berlin, and explore the realities of gig work. With over 30 million platform workers in the EU, this episode uncovers the unpredictable pay and lack of protections that characterize the gig economy. Trade unionist Martin Willems, fro...

When it comes to health and safety in the workplace, many people think of air quality, noise pollution or lack of exercise. But digital technologies also have a significant influence on this. In this episode, we talk about the opportunities but also the challenges with Natalie Lotzmann and Patricia O'Callaghan, who are responsible for precisely this at the European software giant SAP. And we prese...

This episode is a deep dive into the upcoming European elections and the rise of populism in various member states. Join us as we explore key insights from Austria, Spain, and Denmark, examining political strategies, voter sentiments, and the impact on crucial issues like equality, worker rights, and social well-being. Hear from experts and union representatives of the EZA network as they share th...

This episode is a shortened interview with Daphne Halikiopoulou, chair in comparative politics at the University of York. She talks about the rise of far-right parties and their strategies in European politics. In the interview Daphne Halikiopoulou explores normalization tactics and the influence of populist rhetoric, alongside the Danish paradox.

In the recent past, Croatia has experienced several waves of emigration. Critics claim that the next wave is imminent, triggered by a shortage of skilled labour in richer EU member states and the digital and green transformation that the EU has agreed on. One way to mitigate the potential ripple effect could be to create incentives - in living and working conditions. In this episode, we follow a y...

In this two-part programme, we take a look at the upcoming European Parliament elections and the growing influence of right-wing populist and far-right parties. In the second episode, we talk about the ideological and socio-political attitudes that underpin right-wing populism. We also want to examine the extent to which this could block the work of the EU Parliament and what impact this could hav...

In this two-part programme, we take a look at the upcoming European Parliament elections and the growing influence of right-wing populist and far-right parties. In the first episode, we ask ourselves what impact right-wing populists have once they are in power. To do this, we travel to Italy and take a closer look at some of the social policy measures of Giorgia Meloni's government.

In this episode we’ll talk about an issue, that doesn’t get much attention although it affects so many among us. We’ll talk about disability and chronic illness – and especially about women and girls with disability and chronic illness. This group of people is estimated to be the most marginalized group in the labour market and is continuously threatened by poverty and exclusion from society. But:...