CWAers Brief Policy Makers on Artificial Intelligence at Work

Last week, NABET-CWA Local 54412 President Mike Horace briefed policy makers and movement leaders on predatory AI practices in the news industry, like personal services contracts that allow an employer to digitize the voice and likeness of on-air personnel.

“The employer has the right to your voice, your likeness, your writing style. All of those things that make us each human and make us unique,” Horace explained. “Essentially, this would allow employers to digitize an on-air personality, fire that person, and yet keep them on air for years, presenting the news live via AI every single night.”

The forum was hosted by the Congressional Progressive Caucus Center in partnership with the Economic Policy Institute. Horace was joined by CWA research economist Dan Reynolds, who shared a CWA study of the increased stress that AI tools place on call center workers who contend with increased surveillance on the job. Reynolds drew upon the experience of CWA members from diverse industries to show that when AI systems are used to replace or control the work, the mistakes made by these systems have negative impacts on their jobs and their ability to serve customers.

CWA has been a leading voice on regulating AI in the workplace, establishing a national CWA Advisory Committee on Artificial Intelligence to empower members to guide the bargaining and policy priorities of our union. CWA has also negotiated historic agreements with Microsoft and news organizations, providing the first limitations on artificial intelligence in the workplace through union contracts.