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For years, our union has warned that Uberisation would invade the public sector, even in areas traditionally resistant to such changes. The phenomenon began to creep in through outsourcing and contract work, but in recent times, it has become more explicit.
Uberisation Spreads To Public Services:
In 2019, our trade union sounded the alarm about the spread of Uberisation—the shift towards flexible, gig-style employment—affecting not just private industries but eventually public services as well. At the time, we warned that this trend would inevitably reach EU institutions which would radically shake up labour relations. Now, as we see Contract Agents and Temporary Agents becoming more prevalent in EU administrations, our early concerns have proven to be justified.
The growing reliance on short-term, flexible labour in place of permanent civil service positions is a clear example of the Uberisation of the public sector. This model, which has already revolutionized industries like transportation, hospitality, and legal services, is now seeping into the EU’s policy-making and administrative bodies, creating a workforce that mirrors the gig economy in many ways. It is essential that workers and their representatives be involved from the outset in the digital revolution so that workers can be granted effective protection from its consequences.
What is Uberisation?
In 2016, a thesis from the Université Catholique de Louvain identified and compared seven different definitions, which examine uberisation from five different perspectives (making our under-used assets available for a fee, peer-to-peer exchanges, an online platform, a rating system, and the transformation of traditional business models through innovation). None of the definitions covered all five perspectives and none of the perspectives were present in all the definitions.
A French online dictionary (lintern@ute) gives a fairly general definition:
‘Uberisation refers to a business model whereby professionals and customers are put in contact with each other directly, even instantaneously, through the use of technology. This model has the advantage of being much less expensive for the customer than the conventional business model.’
This was, in fact, the model adopted in 2009 by UberCab (which became Uber in 2010) for its transport services. Less than ten years later, this business model has taken root throughout the world in a wide range of economic sectors. It is to be found in sectors such as hospitality (Airbnb, Booking.com), transport (Uber, Blablacar, Drivy), home improvements, renovation and odd jobs (Lulu dans ma rue, Hellocasa, Mesdépanneurs, Amazon Home Services, etc.), legal services (Cma-Justice), and even in the fight against terrorism with initiatives such hackathons or non-profit incubators.
While many of us will have cause to use their services in our daily lives, the break with the traditional model of economic activity that these firms represent raises a number of important questions and poses a serious threat to companies in the sectors concerned – as well as to their employees.
‘Being ubered’ and ‘uberisation’ are notions that elicit apprehension and fear. In an interview with the Financial Times, the advertiser Maurice Lévy said: ‘Everyone is starting to worry about being ubered. It’s the idea that you suddenly wake up to find your legacy business gone…’.
At its core, Uberisation refers to a business model where workers are treated as independent contractors rather than employees, often working on-demand and without long-term job security or benefits. This model allows employers to hire labor as needed, while workers enjoy (at least theoretically) more flexibility. However, the reality often involves a lack of protections, job instability, and minimal benefits.
The term itself, which was coined after the business model popularized by Uber, has come to signify the disruption of traditional work structures across various sectors. As our trade union highlighted back in 2019, Uberisation wasn’t just a passing trend; it was a growing threat to the stability of the workforce across the public and private sectors alike.
A Predictive Warning from Our Trade Union
For years, our union has warned that Uberisation would invade the public sector, even in areas traditionally resistant to such changes. The phenomenon began to creep in through outsourcing and contract work, but in recent times, it has become more explicit as we witness an increase in the use of Contract Agents and Temporary Agents within EU institutions. These roles, often viewed as “on-demand” policy-making positions, reflect a gig economy model that puts pressure on permanent staff structures and erodes job security.
Our concerns were not unfounded. When the EU began expanding its reliance on temporary workers for specific projects, we knew this could erode long-term planning, decrease institutional memory, and put workers at a disadvantage. Now, this trend is becoming increasingly apparent in the day-to-day operations of EU bodies, as more and more policy advisors and administrators are brought in on short-term contracts instead of as permanent civil servants.
The Rise of Temporary and Contract Agents
The EU institutions have been shifting towards a workforce made up of Contract Agents and Temporary Agents to carry out essential functions such as policy development and implementation. These workers are often brought in to handle specific tasks without the long-term commitment required of permanent staff. While this might be seen as a cost-saving measure, it risks undermining the quality and continuity of public services.
For example, rather than relying on permanent civil servants who understand the long-term trajectory of EU policy, temporary agents are hired for specific tasks with an expiration date. This trend mimics the way Uber relies on independent contractors instead of full-time employees, who have more job stability and benefits.
While this model may offer flexibility to employers and quick access to expertise, it also raises serious concerns about the future of public service. As more and more Contract and Temporary Agents replace permanent employees, we risk creating a public service system that lacks institutional continuity, reduces long-term policy expertise, and increasingly treats workers as disposable, short-term resources rather than valued public servants.
The Threat to Worker Rights and Public Service Quality
The increasing reliance on temporary contracts within EU institutions is not just an administrative shift; it has deep implications for workers’ rights. Workers in these roles often face job insecurity, lack of benefits, and increased workload pressures, without the stability and protections offered to permanent civil servants. This trend directly mirrors the Uberisation of labor, where workers are seen as interchangeable, and their role in the larger organizational structure is minimized.
Moreover, the quality of public service could suffer as institutions become more reliant on temporary staff who may not have the long-term commitment or institutional knowledge necessary to drive consistent, effective policy.
The Increasing Impact of Digitalisation
Technological developments and the computerisation or digitalisation of a range of activities have had a considerable impact on the public sector for many years, with consequences for work organisation, the balance between work and family life, and the physical and mental health of workers.
In June 2018, the European Federation of Public Service Unions (EPSU) organised a seminar on issues relating to collective bargaining in the Member States, and in particular the impact of digitalisation in public services. Researchers from the European Social Observatory took this opportunity to present the results of a study commissioned by the EPSU entitled Impact of digitalisation on job quality in public services.
Basing themselves on two sectors (home care and employment services), the researchers highlighted the consequences for workers of the digital transformation. It should be noted that digitalisation has not affected these two sectors in the same way: employment services have been computerised for many years whereas, in the case of home care, only the planning of work has been computerised through the recent introduction of smartphones and tablets.
Workers in both sectors have experienced a heavier workload and a more intense rhythm of work, as well as increased monitoring of their activities, with a gradual move towards ‘performance-based’ management. The requirement (whether real or imagined) to be permanently ‘connected’ makes them view the right to disconnect as necessary and welcome protection. However, most workers do not consider that digitalisation has had a significant influence on their salary or on their social protection.
In general, workers in the public employment services feel a greater impact of digital transformation on all aspects of their jobs: the actual content of their work has changed and workers no longer feel in control; the line between working time and family life has become blurred; social relations with the public or among colleagues have been reduced or have become perfunctory; and the digital divide has created an ever-greater gulf between colleagues who are at ease with the new technologies and those who are not.
As regards health, employees in both sectors consider that the digital revolution has had, or could have, adverse effects: vision problems as a result of working on screen, musculoskeletal – or even cardiovascular – disorders related to immobility, fatigue, and an increased risk of road accidents owing to more frequent use of mobile telephones and tablets, without even taking into account the stress caused by an excessive workload and the need to respond immediately, whether by telephone or email, to the public, colleagues and superiors. This stress entails a marked increase in psychosocial risks (depression, burnout, etc…).
Despite the implications of the digital revolution for the future of work and for workers, the latter admit that its consequences are ignored or minimised in collective bargaining and in public policies at all levels.
The researchers recommend:
– that the impact of the digital transformation on the quality of work in all its aspects be integrated horizontally into the framework of social dialogue at all levels (inter-professional, sectoral or within companies);
– that the potential negative effects of the digital transformation be taken into account and be addressed by legal provisions that protect workers;
– that the public authorities (local, regional or national) and other stakeholders conduct detailed studies of the consequences of the digital revolution in all sectors;
– that measures be taken to ensure, within the framework of this integrated approach, that neither service users nor workers become victims of the inevitable advance of digitalisation.
At European level, the consequences of the digital transformation should be integrated into an overall strategy that is not confined to promoting economic growth and gains in productivity, but that also seeks to protect workers and citizens. The social dialogue structures should, from the very beginning, be stakeholders in this revolution. The European Union and its Member States need to reinforce existing rights, such as the right to the protection of personal data and workers’ rights, and to establish new rights, in particular by opening a debate on the right to disconnect, which is destined to become a new fundamental right for workers.
The rise of Contract and Temporary Agents also correlates with the broader impact of digitalisation within EU institutions. As public services undergo digital transformations, workers are faced with new challenges: increased surveillance, data-driven performance metrics, and blurred boundaries between work and personal life. These pressures are felt most acutely by temporary agents, who may be asked to perform under intense scrutiny without the same support structures or protections as their permanent counterparts.
The move towards digital tools and platforms in public service only amplifies the risks of Uberisation. With increased reliance on temporary, on-demand labor, the EU risks undermining its capacity to provide equitable, high-quality public services in the long run.
A Call for Stronger Worker Protections
As we continue to see Uberisation spread across EU institutions, it is more important than ever for trade unions to advocate for stronger worker protections. Our union has long fought for a more equitable work environment within the public sector, and the growing reliance on temporary agents underscores the urgent need for better job security, fairer wages, and improved working conditions for all employees.
The EU must not sacrifice the quality of public service and the well-being of workers in the name of efficiency and cost-cutting. Instead, it should invest in permanent, skilled workers who can ensure continuity, protect institutional memory, and uphold the values of public service.
Conclusion: Protecting Workers in the Age of Uberisation
The prediction we made years ago about Uberisation in the public sector has sadly become a reality. Uberisation is but one aspect of the digital revolution confronting society as a whole. Despite the convenience offered by Uber, Airbnb and Amazon, we need to be aware of the potentially disastrous consequences of this new economy for the social rights of workers, who will have to devise and put into place new forms of social dialogue and social protection. Even in the public sector, where social rights are better protected, the digital revolution has had a significant negative impact on the nature of work itself and on the physical and psychological well-being of workers, and this needs to be taken into account in the existing social dialogue structures.
As EU institutions increasingly turn to temporary agents and contract workers to fill key roles, the risks to both workers and public service quality are becoming more apparent. It is essential that we continue to fight for workers’ rights, advocate for permanent positions, and push for greater protection in the face of this new model of labor.
The digital revolution and Uberisation is here to stay, but it is up to us to ensure that workers are not left behind in the rush for efficiency and flexibility. Only through strong social dialogue and robust labor protections can we ensure that public services remain fair, effective, and accessible for all.
Félix GÉRADON
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
He was a translator at the General Secretariat of the Council. He was a member of the Staff Committee for many years and held various positions (secretary, vice-president, president) and represented the staff in several joint bodies. He was also Deputy Secretary General of Union Syndicale Brussels for several years.
Retired since 2019, he continues to participate actively in the life of Union Syndicale by being associated with the Executive Committee.