Labor Leaders Call on State Governments to Protect Workers from AI
AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler joined state labor leaders to highlight the importance of state-level artificial intelligence (AI) Safety Guardrails
(Sacramento, California)—The labor movement called on state governments in California and around the country to protect workers’ jobs, rights and freedoms from being taken away by artificial intelligence.
National AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler joined California Federation of Labor Unions President Lorena Gonzalez, Iowa Federation of Labor President Charlie Wishman, Nevada State AFL-CIO Executive Secretary-Treasurer Susie Martinez, Georgia State AFL-CIO President Yvonne Brooks, and North Carolina State AFL-CIO President Braxton Winston II for a press conference at the California State Capitol to highlight the existential risks that AI poses to workers and to call on elected officials to take action. The labor leaders highlighted how the explosion of AI across the economy is enriching tech billionaires while jeopardizing workers’ livelihoods by potentially eliminating or worsening jobs, threatening worker safety and privacy, and infringing on civil and labor rights.
The California Labor Federation has been fighting for common-sense AI guardrails to protect workers, including a bill preventing AI “robot-bosses” from firing workers without human oversight. Gov. Gavin Newsom vetoed last year’s bill even after it passed both chambers of the state legislature with strong support. Shuler and the other leaders emphasized that AI is a top issue for voters across the political spectrum, and that any candidate seeking the support of working people must stand with workers on sensible AI guardrails.
“The decisions that we are making right now on AI are going to shape the next 50 years. We’re demanding our politicians do what 80% of Americans want you to do: pass common-sense guardrails. Protect working people. Bring us to the table now, not after the fact,” said Liz Shuler, president of the AFL-CIO. “The labor movement and working people across this country are watching, and we demand real leadership.”
The press conference followed the California Labor Federation’s AI Summit, part of the AFL-CIO’s nationwide effort to fight for an AI future that respects workers. The state federation recently launched its most ambitious AI agenda to date to hold elected officials accountable for delivering the AI safety measures their constituents strongly support. And last fall, the national AFL-CIO released the Workers First Initiative on AI, a first-of-its-kind campaign outlining a road map for a worker-centered AI future across industries and advancing strong AI safety laws in the states.
Contact: Prerna Jagadeesh, 202-637-5018