Isabelle Ferreras: "The workers know the business better than someone who participates in a board meeting once a month."

MadridIsabelle Ferreras (Belgium, 1975) has been coordinating the Report on Democracy at Work. The text, recently presented by a high-level commission of experts under the Ministry of Labor, which she herself chaired, questions power structures in the workplace: "They are connected to the possibility of living in a democratic society," Ferreras reflects. The Belgian researcher speaks to ARA via video call, while the Ministry has begun negotiations with unions, but without employers' associations, to make progress on this issue.

Employers' associations have decided not to attend the first meeting of the social dialogue to address the report. What are your thoughts?

— This stems from a combination of strategic ignorance and ideological entrenchment. Employers are unaware that models like Germany and Sweden have demonstrated for decades that worker participation is compatible with high productivity and economic success. This resistance is not based on data, but on a proprietary bias that clashes with the European reality, where 18 of the 27 countries already include employee representatives on their boards. This debate is not a "political dream" or a theoretical exercise, but rather the implementation of a constitutional provision.

What does the "no" mean?

— They feel threatened because the report proposes a balance of rights, breaking capital's monopoly on decision-making. Their sense of threat stems from their inability to defend an authoritarian model with arguments against a proposal that seeks a productive balance for all.

— And they lose the opportunity to be co-authors of a more efficient and resilient model.

Why this report on democracy and work?

— The Spanish Constitution already states that a democratic society cannot be built without considering the place where people spend most of their time: work. It makes two promises: to have a voice and to have access to property. If people contribute to wealth, they must have the opportunity to share it. But these two promises have not been fulfilled because both the political left and right have upheld neoliberalism, and we now see that democracies are facing their limitations. We see this in the United States, with the response of a strong leader, Donald Trump, who is using his power to solve problems. Therefore, it is essential that the democratic project extend to the economic sphere. We are in a moment of great confusion, but also of openness to new horizons.

Is there no worker control over the work?

— In the workplace, there are rules and decisions that are beyond the control of workers because they are in the hands of those who own the company: the shareholders. As workers, we are governed by these decisions, from organizational structure to work-life balance. But there are other, far more productive ways of governing that also bring professional and personal satisfaction and greater legitimacy to decisions. Workers, whom I call labor investors, invest their best selves in their work, yet they lack the power to govern this investment. It's a contradiction. When we talk about investment, we think only of capital, but those who truly invest in the economy are those who dedicate their time, body and soul. They are the workers, and this report seeks to acknowledge this.

What is the level of worker representation in the company?

— Spain lags behind the rest of Europe in terms of employee access to strategic business decisions. In Germany, for example, half the board seats in large companies are held by employees. The situation is similar in Sweden. However, in Spain, there is no one at this table to give voice to the employees' perspectives and concerns regarding business priorities. This should be rectified, and it would be a way to overcome some of the country's economic challenges. And it works; one only needs to look at social economy enterprises or cooperatives. Employees know the business better than someone who participates in a board meeting only once a month.

Are works councils falling short?

— It's necessary to recognize this channel. The problem is that it's a channel for information and consultation, but not a channel for decision-making or co-decision-making. And the idea is to move towards the right to co-decide on strategic issues. For example, in the area of ​​artificial intelligence (AI), which is a super-powerful way to govern workers' lives. We don't see why, in a democratic society, workers can't govern within the company.

What does this co-decision model entail?

— Recognizing that workers can influence strategic decisions. The right to co-decide is the right to consent. This is the democratic threshold: the consent of the governed to the decisions.

Does AI pose challenges?

— Workers need to understand what's happening with AI systems and be able to make informed decisions. This is crucial because it's one of the biggest challenges.

The workplace has been transformed: more automation, teleworking... How does this democratization affect us?

— It represents an invisibility of power and we must fight against it.

The report raises the issue of employee access to property.

— It's not just about accessing property, but also about connecting ownership and voice. And it's true that there are risks, but that's why we're proposing some things, new tools like citizen funds, which can accelerate the transition of ownership currently held by investors. We need to develop a smart framework.

The report focuses on the turnover of managers in Spain.

— A third of SMEs in Spain lack a succession plan for the next ten years. That's a huge number. We're talking about economic resilience and sovereignty here, and it's a debate that remains unresolved in Spain. Who will inherit this ownership?

Absenteeism is dominating the labor debate. Have you been following it?

— I think employers don't understand the challenges. Nobody likes feeling uncomfortable with their work commitments, and what we indicate in the report is that having greater participation is precisely a much more productive and efficient way to overcome such a challenge.

Are you prepared to embrace these changes?

— Spain is at a crucial juncture, and I believe it's ready to address these issues and chart a path forward that is appealing to the majority and democratic. We must consider the contradictions we experience daily at work, knowing that the economy won't collapse—quite the opposite. However, I think employers aren't being wise, and I believe their ideological bias is the main obstacle, especially since labor isn't governed the way it was a century ago. Catalonia, for instance, is very well prepared, perhaps even more so, given its rich history of unions and cooperatives; it's remarkable.