AFL-CIO’s Post

📈 The Year of Union Wins: Last year, unions, including UAW, SAG-AFTRA, Teamsters, and more, secured victories for workers, with 453,000 participants in 312 actions. The trend suggests more action in 2024. As Keisha M. and I argue in an article for O'Dwyer's, executives can leverage AI for successful negotiations, analyzing narratives, understanding the other side, and test-driving strategies. AI helps map relationships, defuse misinformation, predict critical issues, and tailor communication strategies. In a changing landscape, AI empowers executives to navigate the challenges posed by an empowered labor movement, fostering equality and success. 💼✨ #LaborRelations #AIinNegotiations #BusinessStrategy

In a recent interview, Seth Harris shared insights on the dynamics between Unions and AI. What I appreciated was his underscoring the potential issues collective bargaining has to address associated with the rise of AI and the way it's integrated - either in a manner that complements workers or leaves them out of the equation. Union members and advocates are "well-positioned" to manage job protection in a churning technological landscape. #UnionStrong #UHCLaborandTrust #BelieveinBetter

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division recently published new guidance clarifying employers’ obligations under federal labor laws as they pertain to use of automated systems and artificial intelligence. The guidance cautions that while such technologies have workplace benefits, human oversight is necessary to avoid results that violate federal labor laws. Ben Perry, Danielle Ochs, Keith Kopplin, and Zachary Zagger review compliance obligations and discuss next steps for employers: https://bit.ly/4aoJqkp #employmentlaw #AI #artificialintelligence #DOL #wageandhour

Microsoft and Labor Unions Form 'Historic' Alliance on AI: Microsoft is teaming up with labor unions to create "an open dialogue" on how AI will impact workers. From a report: The software giant is forming an alliance with the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations, which comprises 60 labor unions representing 12.5 million workers, according to a statement on Monday. Under the partnership, Redmond, Washington-based Microsoft will provide labor leaders and workers with formal training on how AI works. The education sessions will start in the winter of 2024. Microsoft will also begin gathering feedback from labor groups and will focus on unions and workers in "key selected sectors." The initiative marks the first formal collaboration on AI between labor unions and the technology industry and coincides with growing concerns that artificial intelligence could displace workers. The agreement also includes a template for "neutrality" terms that would make it easier for unions to organize at Microsoft. The move expands an approach the company already agreed to for its video game workers and lays the groundwork for broader unionization at Microsoft. Neutrality agreements commit companies not to wage anti-union campaigns in response to workers organizing. Read more of this story at Slashdot.

🤝 Microsoft & Labor Unions unite to tackle AI impact on the workforce tl;dr: Microsoft joins forces with labor unions to tackle the impact of AI on the workforce. They're not just talking about it, they're taking action. Formal AI training, feedback gathering, and a commitment to fairness and empowerment. It's now clear that some of the biggest challenges with AI extend beyond the technology itself. Microsoft understands that without proper dialogue and ground rules, AI technology won't deliver its full value to society. * * * 👍 Microsoft is forming a pioneering alliance with labor unions, initiating an open dialogue on the impact of artificial intelligence on the workforce. This is not just about understanding AI but about shaping its future in a way that serves us all. The partnership with the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO) will provide formal AI training to labor leaders and workers, starting winter 2024. A key part of this initiative is gathering feedback from these groups and focusing on workers in selected sectors. Microsoft acknowledges that while AI has the potential to displace some jobs, it also promises to eliminate drudgery from our work lives. By working directly with labor leaders, Microsoft aims to ensure that AI benefits workers across the board. This alliance also paves the way for broader unionization at Microsoft. The company commits to neutrality terms that facilitate union organization efforts and refrains from launching anti-union campaigns in response to workers organizing. Microsoft also has agreed to include language governing its use of AI in a contract covering staff at its video game studio ZeniMax. This agreement incorporates Microsoft’s six previously announced AI principles, committing to fairness and empowering everyone in their use of AI technologies. This partnership underscores the critical role workers play in shaping the future of AI. 🚀 There's many ways to innovate about AI - and some of the biggest challenges now lie outside of the technological sphere. By proactively involving labor unions to set the right rules, Microsoft shows that they understood AI technology will not deliver its full potential for society without the proper dialogue and ground rules to manage its impact on the workforce. #AIInnovation #MicrosoftAI #LaborUnionsVsAI #FutureOfWork #AIandSociety Image credit: Microsoft

Microsoft and Labor Unions Form 'Historic' Alliance on AI: Microsoft is teaming up with labor unions to create "an open dialogue" on how AI will impact workers. From a report: The software giant is forming an alliance with the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations, which comprises 60 labor unions representing 12.5 million workers, according to a statement on Monday. Under the partnership, Redmond, Washington-based Microsoft will provide labor leaders and workers with formal training on how AI works. The education sessions will start in the winter of 2024. Microsoft will also begin gathering feedback from labor groups and will focus on unions and workers in "key selected sectors." The initiative marks the first formal collaboration on AI between labor unions and the technology industry and coincides with growing concerns that artificial intelligence could displace workers. The agreement also includes a template for "neutrality" terms that would make it easier for unions to organize at Microsoft. The move expands an approach the company already agreed to for its video game workers and lays the groundwork for broader unionization at Microsoft. Neutrality agreements commit companies not to wage anti-union campaigns in response to workers organizing. Read more of this story at Slashdot.

A Few Thoughts on the Microsoft Announcement to Form an Alliance with Labor Unions on AI After traveling extensively, connecting with people from diverse backgrounds, speaking on, and working in AI, I approach the recent announcement of Microsoft's alliance with labor unions from a critical perspective, particularly regarding the timing and scope of AI training for workers. The partnership, as reported by Bloomberg, is undeniably a significant step in acknowledging the implications of AI in the workforce. However, the planned initiation of training sessions in the winter of 2024 raises concerns about the delay in addressing a rapidly evolving AI landscape, where the average worker's anxiety over job displacement is palpable and immediate. This initiative, while commendable for its aim to foster open dialogue and worker education about AI, appears to lag behind the pace at which AI technologies are advancing and being integrated into various industries. The urgency with which workers need to understand and adapt to AI is not just a matter of future-proofing their careers, but also of immediate relevance to their current job security and professional development. Moreover, the focus of the training on labor leaders and workers in selected sectors might not be sufficiently inclusive to address the widespread impact of AI across diverse industries. This selective approach risks creating a knowledge gap, where only a fraction of the workforce is prepared to navigate the challenges and opportunities presented by AI. While Microsoft's commitment to neutrality in unionization efforts and the inclusion of AI-related language in contracts, as seen in the ZeniMax case, are progressive steps, they do not entirely mitigate the concern that the company's overall response to the AI revolution in the workplace seems reactive rather than proactive. In summary, while Microsoft's alliance with labor unions represents a positive development in addressing the intersection of AI and labor, it falls short in its timeliness and scope. As AI continues to reshape the job landscape, it is imperative for industry leaders like Microsoft to act more swiftly and inclusively in equipping the workforce with the necessary skills and knowledge to thrive in an AI-dominated future. #ai #aiandwork #aiethics #aidiversity #susansly

Is there a role for Unions in New Era Organizations? *** This question came to mind as I was reading about the AFL-CIO union seeing new member growth opportunities in response to how companies are implementing AI. Of course, this fits the view of people as interchangeable parts of a machine with technology being a low-cost part. But what if? – what if the company adopted New Era thinking that involved people in distributed decision-making and saw people as critical contributors that can leverage technology? One past union conflict where I was trained as a salaried replacement worker involved work issues, not pay or benefits. I also came to see the union contract as an excuse for poor management that limited flexibility for needed improvements. AI has shown itself to be a two-edge sword, capable of giving employees more tools for doing their work, or for an ever-present overseer that micromanages employee work (or replaces them as a cost saving move). How this plays out will likely reveal whether this unionizing movement gains strength or not.

Conversations about #AI in the workplace often warn of how it will leave millions without jobs, while employers reap the benefits. But can this #EmergingTech actually be a win-win for workers and businesses both? 🪧 Unions say yes. And across the country, they are pushing for employers to implement #ArtificialIntelligence in ways that are consistent with workers’ interests, like emphasizing employee input and setting transparent bargaining goals. Here, our #FutureOfWork fellow Julian Lutz details how #LaborUnions are stepping up to ensure workers benefit from AI in a growing and dynamic #InnovationEconomy. 🔌 https://lnkd.in/e83TcXdF

"The partnership aims to establish a framework to respect employees' union rights, foster positive labor-management relationships and create collective bargaining agreements in a tech industry that has seen the rapid growth of generative AI." https://lnkd.in/g4yXbC3S #AFLCIO #Microsoft #LaborUnions #AILaborPartnership #MicrosoftAI #FutureOfWork #AIInnovation #DigitalTransformation #WorkforceDevelopment #TechIndustryNews #AI #AINews