Major Labor Federation Demands Worker Protections in AI Transition
The American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO) has launched what it’s calling the “workers first initiative on AI,” according to reports from the organization. The largest US federation of unions, representing 63 unions and nearly 15 million workers, is calling on employers and policymakers to join the effort to create what they term a “worker-centered technological future.”
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Comprehensive Worker Protection Priorities
The AFL-CIO released a detailed list of priorities for managing the transition to workplace artificial intelligence systems. Sources indicate these priorities include stronger enforcement of labor rights against AI-powered workplace surveillance or layoffs, protections against copyright infringement, retraining programs for workers to enter the AI workforce, and transparency into AI systems purchased with taxpayer dollars.
“We reject the false choice between American competitiveness on the world stage and respecting workers’ rights and dignity,” AFL-CIO president Liz Shuler stated in the press release. The federation’s membership spans diverse sectors from professional hockey players to nurses and merchant mariners.
Collective Bargaining as Primary Tool
Analysts suggest that strengthened collective bargaining represents the cornerstone of the AFL-CIO’s approach. Ed Wytkind, interim director of the AFL-CIO’s Technology Institute, called collective bargaining “one of the best tools available to manage this transition” to a future with AI.
“It’s why you have state-of-the-art equipment in some transportation sectors with workers working with that equipment quite well,” Wytkind noted, pointing to historical examples of the UAW working with carmakers to automate the auto sector starting in the 1950s.
Combating Workplace Surveillance
The federation specifically targets AI-powered workplace surveillance as a key concern. According to reports, the AFL-CIO will use collective bargaining power to fight against employer surveillance practices. Wytkind indicated that contract negotiations have historically been effective in limiting workplace monitoring, though he acknowledged that modern office technologies present new challenges.
“Now, however, most office technologies can surveil workers,” Wytkind stated, suggesting that the scale of monitoring has expanded significantly since earlier efforts to address workplace surveillance beginning in the 1980s.
Legislative Battles and Setbacks
The AFL-CIO is simultaneously pursuing regulatory solutions at state and national levels, though analysts suggest this has proven challenging. “There are ways to put in the law and in the regulations, a requirement that you have workers involved in the future of new technologies,” Wytkind explained.
The federation recently faced a setback when California Governor Gavin Newsom vetoed the AFL-CIO-backed Senate Bill 7, known as the “No Robo Bosses Act,” which would have required human oversight of AI-enabled firings and workplace discipline. According to reports, Newsom’s October 13th veto disappointed labor advocates but hasn’t deterred their efforts.
Increased Political Engagement
The AFL-CIO appears to be significantly ramping up its political engagement around technology issues. Latest available data indicates the AFL-CIO’s California chapter spent over $2 million in political donations to California elected officials in 2024—more than 30 times the $70,000 spent in 2023.
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This increased spending comes as the federation faces well-funded opposition. Sources indicate that AI super PACs have become increasingly active, with Meta creating its own pro-AI California super PAC in August to advance the company’s political agenda.
Unprecedented Unified Approach
According to Wytkind, this marks the first time the AFL-CIO has passed a unified technology agenda of this scope. Previous tech agendas typically focused more narrowly on specific sectors or worker types. “You cannot point to a single sector of the economy or public services that will not be affected by AI, at least moderately, if not overwhelmingly,” Wytkind stated.
The federation’s comprehensive report outlines their full vision for worker-centered AI, while their legislative advocacy continues to target both state and federal regulations. The initiative represents one of the most coordinated labor responses to technological transformation in recent history, occurring alongside other major technology developments and AI company advancements in the global market.
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