ETUC demands EU telework legislation as energy crisis drives work-from-home push

The European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) has submitted a formal memorandum to EU institutions warning that the energy-crisis-driven push for mass telework must not come at workers’ expense. The intervention follows EU Energy Commissioner Dan Jorgensen’s endorsement of the International Energy Agency’s recommendation for widespread remote work as the top measure to reduce transport energy demand.

ETUC General Secretary Esther Lynch stated that “the option to work from home can be beneficial for both workers and employers, especially in the current situation, but only if it is voluntary for workers and respects their rights.” The unions are demanding that employers bear the costs of home working — including equipment, energy, and connectivity — and that no worker should be compelled to work remotely without proper protections in place.

The memorandum calls on the European Commission to urgently finalise legislation regulating telework across the EU. This comes after social partner negotiations on a right-to-disconnect framework collapsed when employers’ organisations BusinessEurope and SME United refused to put forward any text. The ETUC argues that the energy crisis has made EU-level telework regulation more urgent than ever, as millions of workers could be moved to home-based work without adequate legal protections.