In the face of looming AI advancements, workers are gearing up for an extended tussle against the tech industry.
In the face of looming AI advancements, workers are gearing up for an extended tussle against the tech industry.
The artificial intelligence (AI) revolution has swept across various sectors, sparking a frenzy among engineers, investors, and policymakers. This whirlwind began with a groundbreaking 2017 research paper, followed by venture capitalists eying profit opportunities, and government officials racing to establish regulations. Now, workers are stepping up, acknowledging the threats AI poses to their jobs and collective bargaining rights.
This week, more than 200 trade union members and technologists gathered in Sacramento for a first-of-its-kind conference focused on AI's impact on workers. Representatives from diverse backgrounds, including dock workers, home care workers, teachers, nurses, actors, and state office workers, were in attendance.
The primary concern for workers is the ability to negotiate control over how AI is deployed within companies. Union representatives outlined multiple ways AI threatens jobs, such as screenwriting, driving taxis, and retail work. For instance, Amazon worker Luis from California's Inland Empire expressed concerns about how tech tracking his every movement affected his mental and physical health.
Amazon defended its practices, stating that employees are encouraged to prioritize intent rather than speed, can take breaks at their discretion, and that tracking is often done for employee safety or to prevent theft. Speakers at the conference, however, centered discussions around protecting workers from exploitation and automation from incorporating discrimination in its practices.
President-elect Donald Trump's stance on these issues remains unclear, with conflicting promises to cut harmful regulations while advocating for blue-collar workers. Union attendees at the conference did not focus on Trump's potential actions but discussed ways to guard against tech exploiting or discriminating against workers.
The Unified Food and Commercial Workers union and the National Nurses Union will face critical automation-related fights this year as they negotiate new contracts. Grocery workers will challenge self-checkout stands, while nurses will contest AI tools they claim bias patient care and prioritize profits over patient health.
Tech companies have long marketed AI as a world-transforming technology, claiming it will lead to a better future. However, gatherings such as this one in Sacramento show that unions see an opportunity to galvanize workers to organize against AI's unwanted consequences.
With automation potentially displacing 4.5 million Californians from 20 high-risk industries, unions emphasize including AI in collective bargaining negotiations. This approach allows them to address its widespread applications in various workplaces, given workers' strong opinions and expertise in their roles. Without addressing AI in negotiations, workers may be left vulnerable to exploitation, wage suppression, and job losses.
As technology increasingly influences our lives, unions are taking proactive measures to secure workers' rights and ensure they have a say in how AI is used in the workplace. This calls for foresight by union leaders to craft messages that resonate with both workers and the public as they navigate ongoing challenges related to technological advancements.
Enrichment insights:
- Collective Bargaining and AI Implementation Rights:
- New statutory rights and obligations regarding AI implementation in workplaces could emerge, including mandatory consultation requirements before implementing AI systems significantly affecting working conditions or job security.
- Transparency and Monitoring:
- Detailed regulations addressing the use of AI surveillance tools may emerge, including requirements for transparent disclosure, limitations on data collection, and stricter consent requirements.
- Bias and Discrimination Protection Measures:
- Mandatory algorithmic impact assessments, biased audits, and expanded protected characteristics under discrimination laws to account for AI-specific forms of discrimination are possibilities.
- AI Skills and Training Rights:
- New obligations for employers to provide AI-related training and reskilling opportunities when implementing AI systems significantly impact job roles could emerge.
- Accountability Frameworks:
- Mandatory human oversight of significant AI decisions affecting employment, clear appeal processes, and specific liability frameworks for AI errors may become requirements. Employers will need to keep records of AI decision-making and be able to explain and justify automated decisions affecting employees.
In the future, unions are expected to advocate for including AI in collective bargaining negotiations, aiming to address its widespread applications in various workplaces. This proactive approach can help prevent workers from facing exploitation, wage suppression, and potential job losses due to automation.
Furthermore, as technology continues to shape our lives, the need for tech companies to be transparent about AI usage becomes increasingly important. This could involve detailed regulations requiring clear disclosure of AI surveillance tools, limitations on data collection, and stricter consent requirements to protect workers' rights.