Guaranteeing the rights of trade unionists is crucial to the transformation that Artificial Intelligence (AI) is projected to engender in the workplace and outside of it, the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) has said.
At the AI Action summit hosted by the French government, which brought together heads of state, international organisations, multinational companies, trade unions, and academics to address the societal implications of AI, ITUC Deputy General Secretary, Eric Manzi, stressed the need to protect and involve workers:
His words: “The future of work, shaped by digitalisation and AI, is inevitable, but the outcomes are not predetermined. The question is not if this change comes, but how it is managed. And for this, workers’ trade unions are crucial.
“By ensuring that trade unions are actively involved in this transformation, we can create a future of work that is both inclusive and equitable.”
“This means respecting the fundamental, democratic trade union rights of collective bargaining and social dialogue. This is about democracy in the workplace that delivers technological changes that work for everyone. At the same time, we need strong safeguards against the unchecked use of algorithms in employment decisions and worker surveillance. We need strengthened regulation at national and international levels to protect workers in the age of AI.”
The ITUC maintained that workers and their unions must be involved in deciding how AI is introduced and used in the workplace. It also said AI must not be used to undermine fundamental rights, including freedom of association and the right to organise.
According to the ITUC, algorithmic decision-making cannot replace human oversight, especially in areas that affect employment, wages and working conditions.
Additionally, the ITUC has stressed that stronger international regulation is needed, including a binding ILO Convention on Decent Work for the Platform Economy – a key demand of the global trade union movement in the leadup to the upcoming ILO International Labour Conference in June.
