Unions gather to share, learn and strategize on AI’s “perils and promises”

“Just saying no to technology is not a viable strategy,” 2024 Nobel Laureate for Economics Daron Acemoglu told a group of over 100 union leaders representing workers on every continent. “If unions only continue to bargain on issues like wages and conditions,” he said, “they will lose in the long run. Unions must negotiate on these traditional topics and technology at the same time. “

The necessity to collectively bargain over – and effectively use – new technologies like artificial intelligence was the focus of an all-day session on building worker power in a new digital age.

The leaders were at UNI Global Union’s Nyon, Switzerland, headquarters on 11 November to learn from fellow unionists who have successfully negotiated protections around AI and from leading researchers and academics, including Acemoglu.

The common thread throughout the lively discussion was clear: workers using new technologies must shape their development and implementation.

Case studies: AI and worker representation

Unions from UNI’s ICTS and Media, Entertainment & Arts sectors gave real life examples that showed why consultation and unions are critical for advancing workers’ rights in the face of new technologies.

Panellists included representatives from the Writers Guild of America West (WGA-West), IATSE, CWA and ver.di. These case studies revealed diverse approaches to integrating AI while safeguarding jobs. For example, Laura Blum-Smith of WGA-West described their contract, won after tough negotiations and a 148 day strike, which prevents AI from replacing writers’ work and mandates fair compensation for AI-driven projects.

Sylvia Ramos of the U.S.-based Communications Workers of America (CWA) shared her union’s long history of negotiating over technology, limiting their negative impacts on workers, customers and the public while ensuring that workers win their fair share of the economic gains.

CWA took this experience, and through a participatory approach, developed principles for negotiating around AI which emphasize a proactive and comprehensive approach to bargaining on artificial intelligence. ver.di’s Giovanni Suriano added that the Deutche Telekom works council developed a robust approach to AI, including guidelines that protect worker privacy and prohibit AI analysis of employees’ mental or emotional states, expert committees and a risk classification system.

Jillian Arnold, President of IATSE Local 695, emphasized that communication over technology between the union and employers is critical. In addition to regular consultations with employers, IATSE is launching a training and upskilling programme in relation to new technologies.

Shaping AI for worker benefit

In a session on leveraging AI for workers, Nick Scott of Unions 21 walked participants through examples of how unions can use AI to build organizational power. He encouraged unions to see

AI as a potential tool for streamlining administrative tasks, enhancing member engagement and supporting organizing.

The big picture: Unions are a necessary global solution

Economist and Nobel Laureate Professor Daron Acemoğlu spoke to the need for unions to adapt to the growing use and power of genAI. The rapid rise of these technologies mean that the labour movement’s challenges have multiplied.

In response, unions need to undertake a major transformation, he said, including increasing their level of expertise, so that not only businesses and their consultants, have the knowledge of AI and technology in their bargaining.

And bargaining over technology is key.

“Automation is going to be very powerful weapon in the hands of businesses,” said Acemoglu. Accordingly, the labour movement must use its expertise to find a new way of relating to employers, focusing on an expanded field of bargaining, so that technology is more pro-worker and productivity is improved – allowing companies to pay more to workers and employ more people.

Molly Kinder of the Brookings Institute, along with experts from Switzerland and Argentina, provided an overview of the regulatory landscape. Kinder noted the importance of developing strategies to proactively shape AI’s impact on work and workers. This includes worker engagement in AI design and implementation, enhancing worker voice through unions, and developing public policies that ensure workers benefit from AI while mitigating harms such as job loss and inequality.

Sofia Scasserra of UNTREF and FAECYS agreed. “In many regions, unions are the only ones pushing for workers’ rights in the context of AI,” she said. We called for regulation securing unions’ right to bargain over technology.“We, as worker rep resentatives, know what is needed when it comes to negotiating AI.”

She argued for global cooperation among unions to influence AI policies. “The international labour movement has a key role to play. Many of the changes are happening where there are no trade unions, and the global union movement can set a clear agenda for each sector and each region to lobby governments, regional bodies and global institutions.”

In her opening, UNI General Secretary Christy Hoffman said it was time for unions to take on the “perils and promises” of AI to working people. As the day concluded, it was clear that AI has the potential to augment not only the work union members do, but also the work of unions themselves. But this technology carries risks, and these dangers are best mitigated with a simple principle, according to Hoffman: “We must shape the use of technology so that it benefits humanity and that workers share in the gains of these new capabilities.”

Full list of speakers and relevant links:

Opening Session

· UNI President Gerard Dwyer, National Secretary-Treasurer, SDA. · UNI General Secretary Christy Hoffman. See information about UNI’s Resolution on Decent Work in a Digital Age and coverage of Hoffman’s recent speech at the OECD on AI in the workplace.

· “Who is likely to be affected?” Janine Berg, Senior Economist, International Labour Organization. See Generative AI and Jobs: A global analysis of potential effects on job quantity and quality.

Case studies of unions negotiating on the impacts of AI

· Laura Blum-Smith, Research & Public Policy Director, WGA-West. See Know your rights: Artificial Intelligence.

· Jillian Arnold, President of Local 695, IATSE. See Core Principles for Applications of Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning Technology.

· Sylvia Ramos – Assistant to the Vice President CWA. See AI Principles and Recommendations.

· Giovanni Suriano – Chairman of the ICT District Group Düssel-Rhein-Wupper, ver.di.

How unions can use AI

· Nick Scott, Director, AI and Digital Transformation, Unions 21.

How can we shape the future to support AI which augments human capacity?

· Nobel Laureate, Professor Daron Acemoğlu, co-author of “Power and Progress.”

The regulatory landscape around the world

· Molly Kinder, Fellow, Brookings Institute. See The AI Revolution Is Coming for Your Non-Union Job.

· Mathias Wouters, Swiss Institute of Comparative Law.

· Sofia Scasserra. Director, Observatory of the Social Impacts of AI, UNTREF, and member of the International Secretariat of FAECYS.