Germany: Andrea Nahles, Labor Minister, kicks off a “national dialogue” over working in the digital age

How do we want to work in the future? Are jobs destined to disappear in the digital age? How will DIGITAL affect social regimes, labor law, co-management? In short how will the arrival of the digital age affect the German labor market model? During the “Work 4.0” (Arbeiten 4.0) Congress in Berlin on April 22, Andrea Nahles, SPD Minister for Labor and Social Affairs presented a Green Paper that brings together the principal challenges and issues being raised by the digital revolution. With this 90-page document the social democrat intends to launch a wide-ranging debate on the future of work with key economic, political, and social agents as well as with experts in the fields and also with members of the wider society. A White Paper scheduled for the end of 2016 will present the solutions found during this period of debate.
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Digital transformation – the new hot topic. “It’s time to focus on the future” declared Andrea Nahles, Labor Minister who maintains that the digital revolution, which continues apace, will not only change our production methods and our consumption patterns as well as create new products and services but it will also completely upturn the labor market and leave the State facing enormous challenges.

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