Most people would agree that the only legitimate form of government is a democracy, and yet when most of us go to work we enter a world of hierarchies that is rather undemocratic.

In many workplaces, bosses make the decisions and employees carry out their tasks, be it as office worker or bike courier. But why shouldn’t the workplace also be a democracy? Together with Professor of Political Philosophy Lisa Herzog and member of Organize the RUG Manuel Reyes, Tuur Elzinga discusses the future of workplace democracy. Tuur Elzinga, director of the Federation of Dutch Trade Unions (FNV) believes it’s time we put real democracy into practice—both in society and in the workplace. In his recent book Democraten aller landen, verenigt u (2024), he argues that many of our current challenges, such as the rise of far-right populism, are rooted in the perception that our institutions no longer reflect the interest of ordinary people. His answer: unite for democracy!

Links:
Workplace Democracy

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