More than 200 union members and technology workers gathered in Sacramento for an important conference on the dangers posed to jobs by AI (artificial intelligence) and other technologies. This event, called Making Tech Work for Workers, was put together by labor centers tied to the University of California, alongside various unions and workers’ advocates. The attendees comprised a variety of occupations and hence all seemed to describe how technology impacted differently on different jobs.
During the conference, union leaders gave concrete examples of how AI threatened jobs across several industries. Concerns voiced included among others screenwriting, taxi driving, and working cash registers. The discussions showed a consensus that job insecurity resulting from technological incursions has begun to bother many workers.
The most decisive outcome of the conference appeared to be the urge among the workers to gain a huge say into how AI and technologies are actually rolled with or without the workers’ consent by their employers. Union officials seemed to encourage attendees to include discussions on technology in collective bargaining. They stressed the need for workers to exercise their rights to negotiate the terms on which AI is used in their jobs. Many participants suggested that workers should take a more active role in technology issues. They called for the establishment of committees that would require management to consult with employees before any new technology was implemented.
The event occurred amidst enormous political change, where Donald Trump was preparing for his second term as President of the United States. It happened right before key deadlines for the pending bills in the current California legislative session. Unions see AI as an effective means of uniting workers and will encourage them to organize for respect within their workplaces. Though unions have had difficulty in promoting their membership and increasing workers’ influence, discussing AI in negotiations would be vital. With the myriad usages of AI in the workplace, employees often come in with strong opinions about these technologies. They, after all, know their jobs best and the potential threats that new tools pose. By rendering their opinions toward technology, workers would certainly play an influential role in shaping the workplace around the technologies.