The ITUC's latest report puts a spotlight on an essential conversation we've been skirting around: what happens to workers’ rights and job quality when AI is rolled out unregulated across sectors? It's not just a tale of robots versus humans but a nuanced saga where AI is fragmenting jobs, intensifying workloads, and often turning workplace management into a cold algorithmic exercise devoid of transparency—or empathy.
We hear about AI as a productivity booster, but as the report highlights, these gains are frequently overstated, and the human costs are under-addressed. The real kicker? AI’s uneven impact, hitting low-skilled and women workers hardest, especially in precarious roles in the global south. Essentially, AI isn't just reshaping work; it's reshaping inequalities.
Here's where the trade unions step into the frame, often overlooked in tech conversations. The report showcases their proactive initiatives—not just resisting changes, but negotiating collective agreements and sectoral standards to safeguard workers in this AI-driven upheaval.
From a pragmatic perspective, this underscores a vital principle: technology without regulation and inclusive dialogue risks becoming a tool of exclusion and exploitation rather than empowerment. The call for stronger enforcement of labor laws in the digital era and the central role of unions isn’t nostalgia for the past—it’s a blueprint for a balanced future.
Let’s be clear: AI isn’t the villain here. The problem is deploying it without workers’ voices. If we keep AI development confined to boardrooms, ignoring the people whose jobs it changes, we risk entrenching disparities and eroding fundamental rights. The solution? Combine innovation with humanity—put unions and workers in the driver’s seat to steer AI towards fairness, transparency, and shared prosperity.
In sum, the digital transformation will proceed regardless. Our challenge is to ensure it doesn't steamroll workers. As Luc Triangle aptly puts it, a just future of work requires regulation and participation from those at the coalface. It’s time to move beyond viewing unions as adversaries of innovation and recognize them as critical partners in shaping an AI-enabled workplace that works for all. Source: Artificial Intelligence: Workers' unions must shape deployment and regulation
