Union body tells UK government workers must get a say before AI clocks in
TUC warns against letting algorithms call the shots in the workplace
The Trades Union Congress (TUC), Britain's largest trade union body, has urged the UK government to involve workers in the decision-making process surrounding the introduction of artificial intelligence (AI) in the workplace. In a letter addressed to the newly appointed AI and Future of Work ministers, Kanishka Narayan and Kate Dearden, the TUC's general secretary Paul Nowak, and assistant general secretary Kate Bell emphasized that the government's approach should prioritize three principles: providing workers with a voice, ensuring their rights, and guaranteeing a fair share of the benefits.
The TUC's demands include the right for workers to negotiate over the introduction of AI, including algorithmic and surveillance technologies that could impact their jobs or working conditions. The union body does not advocate for banning AI in the workplace but rather calls for companies to involve workers in the decision-making process.
The TUC believes that a comprehensive plan should reform corporate practices, enabling workers to become stakeholders in firms rather than passive inputs for AI-driven short-term profits. This right to negotiate on AI technologies is crucial, as it empowers workers' expertise and interests as a prerequisite for fair and effective AI adoption.
The TUC warns that without granting workers a say in the AI revolution, the disruption caused by these technologies could be exploited by far-right political groups.
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