The Revolution of Distance Labor
The emergence of Covid-19 marked a before and after in the way of working. As companies were forced to adopt teleworking to ensure their continuity, new challenges related to labor and personal reconciliation, human resources management and the implementation of new regulations arose.
Return to the Presentiality: An Open Debate
Five years after the outbreak of pandemic, some large companies like Amazon and Dell have begun to take steps back, questioning the viability of teleworking. This turn has generated a controversy over labor rights and workers’ ability to claim this type of work.
Opinions d’Experts
José Antonio González Espada, labor lawyer of the Ronda Collective, offers a critical view of the current situation. According to him, teleworking is not a guaranteed right, but rather a concession that companies can revoke at will.
Labor rights and current regulations
Spanish law, specifically Law 10/2021, states that telework must be the result of a mutual agreement between employers and workers. However, companies often include clauses that limit the reversibility of teleworking, leaving workers with little margin of maneuver.
Financial compensation
The costs associated with distance work, such as light and internet costs, must be covered by the company, but the law does not specify how much this compensation should be, resulting in symbolic amounts.
The fight for conciliation
Teleworking has been perceived as a breakthrough in the reconciliation of working and personal life. Many workers have found in this modality a solution to manage their family responsibilities. However, with the recoil of this option, companies are in a dilemma between the efficiency and well -being of their employees.
The impact of the division
The atomization of teleworking has led to a division between workers, making it difficult to organize and mobilize. In job conflict situations, physical dispersion may complicate coordination between employees.
The way forward
The current situation of teleworking forces us to reflect on labor rights and the need for an open dialogue between workers and companies. Negotiating and collectivization of rights can be key to ensuring a fairer and more balanced future in the world of work.
The Ronda Collective continues to work to defend labor rights and promote a model of work that respects the dignity of people, providing solutions to the problems that affect society as a whole.
