In the context of the World Day for Safety and Health at Work, marked annually on 28 April, the National Trade Union Confederation of Moldova (CNSM), in cooperation with the International Labour Organization (ILO), organized on Thursday, 24 April, a round table on “Revolutionizing safety and health: the role of artificial intelligence and digitalization at work”, in the premises of the Labour Institute.
The event brought together the leadership of the CNSM and presidents of national and branch trade union centers, together with representatives of the International Labor Organization, the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection, the National Confederation of Employers of the Republic of Moldova, the State Labor Inspectorate, the Office of the People’s Advocate, the National Agency for Public Health, experts in the field of occupational safety and health (OSH), representatives of civil society.
Digitization and automation are profoundly transforming the global labour market, opening up significant opportunities for improving occupational safety and health. Automation and intelligent monitoring systems have the potential to reduce hazardous exposures, prevent accidents and improve overall working conditions.
However, this technological progress brings with it new potential risks, which require proactive and adaptive policies and responses. Round table participants discussed the impact of digitalization and artificial intelligence on the labour market.
In his keynote speech, Igor Zubcu, President of the CNSM, highlighted the profound transformation of the labor market through digitalization and artificial intelligence, which creates both significant opportunities and risks. These risks include the automation of tasks, the spread of remote work, the emergence of new forms of employment and the impact on health and safety at work, factors that can create new opportunities but also accentuate social inequalities.
The President of the CNSM stressed the need to prepare the social partners for these changes, and called for measures such as:
Guaranteeing social protection and labour rights for all workers, regardless of form of employment;
Investing in continuous training and retraining, with priority for vulnerable groups;
Strengthening social dialogue to ensure adequate representation of workers in decisions on technology, wages and work organization;
Ensuring the protection of employee privacy and data in the context of digital surveillance and 24/7 connected work.
“We are living in a period of profound change in the labour market, driven by digitalization and the integration of artificial intelligence. These changes affect not only technology, but also working conditions and the status of workers. Digitalization can and must be a force for progress, but only if technological transformations are accompanied by sound social policies,” said Igor Zubcu.
The trade union leader delivered a key message, emphasizing that “technology must serve people, not replace them. A well-managed future of work can mean better, safer and more worker-oriented jobs”, calling for solidarity and adaptation in the face of rapid changes in the world of work.
The round table aimed to identify modern solutions to the challenges of occupational safety and health challenges in the context of new technologies. Participants discussed the situation of OSH in the Republic of Moldova and globally, occupational diseases, platform work and the psycho-emotional impact of digitalization on workers. They also discussed practical aspects of implementing OSH requirements and social partners’ priorities in this area, in line with international standards and requirements.
According to an ILO report, around 340 million workers worldwide are victims of occupational accidents every year, and there are around 160 million cases of occupational diseases. Worldwide, about 2.3 million people die each year as a result of work-related accidents.
In the Republic of Moldova, the OSH situation remains alarming. The State Labor Inspectorate reports annually between 500 and 600 accidents at work, of which 70-75 are fatal. One third of these accidents are directly related to working conditions and the workplace. In recent years, an average of 3-4 out of every 100,000 workers have died as a result of accidents at work.
The World Day for Safety and Health at Work, established by the International Labour Organization, is an important opportunity to raise awareness of the importance and role of the parties involved in labour relations in ensuring safety and health at work. This year, the ILO focused on the impact and opportunities of the introduction of artificial intelligence and digitalization in the world of work.
