3 weeks ago
US workers overwhelmingly support pro-worker policies connected artificial intelligence (AI) and position labour unions arsenic nan astir reliable protectors of workers from nan effects of AI, according to a caller canvass released by nan AFL-CIO, nan largest federation of labour unions successful nan US.
More than 9 retired of 10 workers surveyed expressed support for policies connected artificial intelligence that labour unions whitethorn conflict for, including 95% supporting a request that a quality beryllium nan last determination shaper connected immoderate issues affecting individual workers and their employment.
Some 92% besides support precocious guardrails against harmful uses of AI successful workplaces and require transparency and accountability erstwhile employers usage AI.
Every worker protection polled successful nan study received support from astatine slightest 75% of those polled, including 75% supporting nan description of opportunities for workers to shape unions to protect their jobs from AI. The poll, conducted pinch David Binder Research, surveyed 1,588 respondents crossed nan US from 14 April to 22 April.
The in-depth polling of workers’ sentiments toward AI comes arsenic workers, done corporate bargaining agreements, person progressively been seeking and securing protections connected really artificial intelligence is utilized successful nan workplace.
“It’s nan latest measurement that companies tin laic group off, trim their workforce and trim corners by saying, ‘oh, well, we’ll conscionable person AI do it,’ moreover if nan results are bad, arsenic we’re seeing. So I deliberation it is important for workers to protect themselves,” said Anna Iovine, portion chair of nan Ziff Davis Creators Guild, which won AI protections successful their statement successful 2024, including editorial integrity protections, transparency for erstwhile and really AI is utilized successful nan workplace, and nary layoffs aliases reduced salary owed to AI implementation.
Hannah Drummond, a registered caregiver successful North Carolina and a national personnel pinch National Nurses United, also fought to see AI protections successful her national statement successful 2024 to guarantee it would not beryllium utilized without workers’ approval. She noted immoderate hospitals person been implementing AI for scheduling and successful utilizing algorithms to estimate if a diligent is going to get sicker, contempt errors successful nan statistical models.
“We person exertion connection that says nary caller exertion astatine each tin beryllium implemented that affects nan transportation of diligent attraction without going done nan national first, and nary exertion should de-skill aliases undermine our judgment,” said Drummond. “We should not beryllium experimenting connected our patients. Patients are not guinea pigs. Patients who participate successful objective tests person informed consent. AI is being utilized successful hospitals without patients’ consent. This violates nan bosom of wellness care.”
Of nan workers polled, 78% said it is highly aliases very important that immoderate action beryllium taken to protect workers from nan imaginable harms of AI.
Only 7% of workers polled said their employers disclosed really and erstwhile their activity is monitored by AI, while 70% said their employers person not disclosed this, and 23% were unsure. 94% of workers said they judge workers should beryllium informed by their employers if AI is being utilized to show their work.
When respondents were asked whether Democrats, Republicans, labour unions, aliases employers were much trustworthy to protect workers from AI, 38% picked labour unions, 17% said Democrats, 10% said Republicans, 6% employers, and 18% chose nary of nan options.
“These results make it clear: our Workers First Initiative connected AI is not conscionable a group of principles, but a instruction to deliver,” said Liz Shuler, president of nan AFL-CIO, successful a connection connected nan canvass results. “The immense mostly of America’s workers work together connected really to move guardant connected AI and who they spot to do it, and it’s not Democrats, Republicans, Big Tech, aliases their employers – it’s nan labour movement.”
