The industrial world of work is crumbling. Piece by piece, it seems fading from sight. But new reconfigurations are appearing, aiming at upholding the ideals of emancipation and solidarity of workers. A new path forward has to be mapped out.

Proposals are on the table and experimentation is under way. Sometimes for the worse but let’s also have a look at the better: the ones that follow the historical horizon of the labor movement, in favour of more solidarity and autonomy of workers, the ones that search for more democracy, shared prosperity and respect for our natural resources.

These “24 hours of work” are intended for a large audience: members and workers of Smart, researchers and academics, actors of the social economy, union representatives, activists…

Please register to confirm your participation

Download the full programme here

Programme

11 december

18:00>19:00

Welcome and walking dinner

19:00>19:30

Introduction 

With Isabelle Ferreras (FNRS / U. Louvain-CriDIS) and Sandrino Graceffa (Smart)

19:30>21:30

Where are we coming from? Values and conquests of workers’ mobilizations

Social security has been built on a simple and powerful idea: each citizen is entitled to a decent life. Historically though, the benefits of social protections, to which wage workers have been entitled, were granted against the principle of subordination of the worker to the will of the employer.

We will discuss this history with renowned experts as  Paul Hermant (CESEP / Acteurs des temps présents),  Benjamin Coriat (U. Paris 13 / Economistes Attérés), Nicolas Latteur (CEPAG – FGTB), Pierre-Paul Van Gehuchten (U. Louvain-CRIDES / avocat) and Pascale Vielle (U. Louvain-CIRTES)

12 december

9:00>18:00

 What’s the situation? Urgency and complexity in the present

Today, many workers voice their expectation for more autonomy in their worklife. They distance themselves from the idea and practices of subordination at work; Simultaneously, with inequality reaching ever-growing levels, we are faced with the incapacity of the institutions consolidated during the 1950s-1970s period to provide the necessary material means of existence to workers.
These contemporary transformations will be discussed by union representatives and international scientific experts:  Pierre Ledecq (CSC), Eric Buyssens (FGTB), Annalisa Murgia (Leeds University), Martine Azam (U.Toulouse 2), Christophe Degryse (ETUI), Isabelle Berrebi-Hoffmann (CNRS / CNAM) and Isabelle Daugareilh (CNRS / U. Bordeaux).

What lies ahead? Which democratic experimentations at work?

How can workers satisfy their aspirationto autonomy without endangering their necessary material conditions of existence, while reinforcing ties of solidarity? We will review a series of proposals, practical ideas and experimentations which give way to these aspirations. While these proposals are often put against one another, we will strive to look at them in a comprehensive way in order to assess how they can reinforce one another in the quest for a better future for workers and the planet.

The 8 proposals will be presented by Michel Bauwens (P2P Foundation), Suzanne Capiau (avocate / ULB), Delphine Houba (Collectif Roosevelt.BE),  Valerio De Stefano (U. Leuven), Federico Puletti et Francesco Brancaccio (Chaire de recherche contributive, MSH Paris Nord), Philippe Defeyt (Institut pour un Développement Durable), Benjamin Coriat (U. Paris 13 / Economistes Attérés),  Olivier Leberquier (SCOP TI / CGT) and Isabelle Ferreras (FNRS / U. Louvain-CriDIS).

Closing of the «24hours of work» 

(Not) To conclude : Dominique Méda (U.Paris-Dauphine/IRISSO)

Final report from the field Paul Hermant (CESEP / Acteurs des temps présents)
-The event will take place in French and simultaneously translated in English-

Please register here to confirm your participation

Download the full programme

Practical details 

11 december : 18:00 > 21:30 – Room: KOP 

12 december : 9:00 > 18:00 –  Room: KOP 

Access: Rue Coenraets 72, 1060 Saint-Gilles

More info: Aude Virgo: via@nullsmart.coop

This event is organised in the context of a research project developed by Julien Charles (CESEP/UCLouvain–CriDIS), Isabelle Ferreras (FNRS/UCLouvain–CriDIS) and Auriane Lamine (UCLouvain–CriDIS)  on the practices and prospective of democratic work, based on the experimentation conducted at the Smart cooperative.
The research is connected to the global research project “Institutional Experimentation for Better Work”, coordinated by the CRIMT (Centre de recherche interuniversitaire sur la mondialisation et le travail) at the University of Montréal.