Speaking at the final conference of the FIM-CISL led PROMISE project, on a panel on the role of social dialogue in turning policy into concrete workplace measures, industriAll Europe General Secretary Judith Kirton-Darling stressed that active ageing and demographic change must be addressed through quality jobs, lifelong learning, a strengthening of health and safety and stronger social dialogue, rather than simply raising the retirement age.

As European industry undergoes major changes driven by automation and decarbonisation, older workers are particularly vulnerable to restructuring and job losses. At the same time, industrial jobs are not attractive enough for younger workers. This is driving worker shortages while experience and skills essential to the future of manufacturing are lost.

Older workers are an asset, not a burden. Their knowledge must be valued and passed on to younger generations through mentoring, training and negotiated workplace measures. Companies must also invest in apprenticeships and offer young workers stable employment.

With almost 40 million workers aged 55 and over in Europe, making work sustainable throughout working life is increasingly urgent. This means investing in prevention, safer workplaces, better ergonomics, manageable workloads and continuous training.

Workers who have spent decades doing physically demanding jobs, working shifts or facing hazardous conditions cannot simply be expected to work longer. Fair pension systems and flexible retirement pathways must recognise these differences and guarantee dignity in retirement.

Collective bargaining has a crucial role to play. Trade unions and employers must negotiate practical solutions that protect workers’ health, support skills development and enable knowledge transfer between generations. These agreements must be backed by enforceable rights and meaningful worker participation.

EU action is equally important. IndustriAll Europe is calling for the upcoming Quality Jobs Act to include binding legislation on psychosocial risks, including stress, burnout and harassment, alongside measures to ensure a Just Transition for industrial workers.

The autonomy of social partners in negotiating occupational pension schemes must also be respected, while public pension systems must guarantee adequate incomes for all workers.

Judith Kirton-Darling, General Secretary of industriAll Europe, stressed: “We need to move away from the idea that the answer to demographic ageing is simply to make people work longer. The question is whether the jobs themselves are sustainable."

She underlined that the green and digital transitions must go hand in hand with investment in skills, quality jobs and strong social dialogue.

The message is clear: Europe needs sustainable working lives, not simply longer ones. Workers must be able to reach retirement healthy, financially secure and with dignity. Strong collective bargaining and a fair industrial transition are essential to achieving this.