Labor Unions Mobilize to Challenge Advance of Algorithms in Workplaces

As seen in the Washington Post

As employers and tech companies rush to deploy artificial intelligence software into workplaces to improve efficiency, labor unions are stepping up work with state lawmakers across the nation to place guardrails on its use.

The renewed drive to regulate AI could change how workers are exposed to AI in their jobs and complicate industry plans to roll out technology such as robotaxis or tools that track individuals’ productivity. It comes after the Senate killed a proposed federal moratorium that would have banned states from regulating AI for the next 10 years.

In Massachusetts, the Teamsters labor union is backing a proposed state law that would require autonomous vehicles to have a human safety operator who can intervene during the ride, effectively forbidding truly driverless rides. Oregon lawmakers recently passed a bill supported by the Oregon Nurses Association that prohibits AI from using the title “nurse” or any associated abbreviations. The American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations, a federation of 63 national and international labor unions, launched a national task force last month to work with state lawmakers on more laws that regulate automation and AI affecting workers.

Union leaders say they must intervene to protect workers from the potential for AI to cause massive job displacement or infringe on employment rights. The technology has already become a sticking point in some labor disputes, such as the Hollywood writers strikes in 2023.