The motion calls on the Labour Government to take action so that the UK’s employment rights framework is fit for purpose, in the light of current and future advances in AI. This must include:
- The right to meaningful consultation when new technology is introduced in the workplace.
- The right to switch off.
- A requirement for Equality Impact Assessments prior to new technology being introduced.
- The right for workers to have a human connection when decisions about them and their job are being made.
- A comprehensive review of the redundancy framework, including consultation requirements and the level of statutory redundancy pay, to strengthen protections for workers whose jobs are at risk.
Addressing delegates in support of the motion, Dave McCrossen – Usdaw deputy general secretary says: “Technology has always brought changes to the world of work, but the scale and pace of the change happening now is unlike anything we've seen before. And yet again, it is working people who are in danger of being left behind. AI is already impacting working lives in every sector.
“We need to face the facts. It's not scaremongering to say that AI is likely to displace jobs in many sectors, but right now employers can treat workers as disposable. The time has come to put that right, with robust redundancy rights, proper consultation and higher redundancy pay, so that sacking workers isn't the cheap and easy option it is today.
“But the challenges of technology go far beyond job security. Technology is managing more or less every part of the employment relationship. In retail, it's fundamentally changing the nature of our members' jobs. It's deciding who gets employed, what shifts they work and what people are doing when they're at work.
“This is why we need strong regulation, because when you manage people with machines, you can lose something crucial. You can lose the ability to look at people's individual needs. Such as someone's disability that means they need reasonable adjustments or someone’s caring needs that affect their availability.
“That’s why we need a right to a human connection when these decisions are being made and that's why we need equality impact assessments to safeguard against discrimination. On top of this, workers are facing constant surveillance and demands for availability. They need and deserve a right to switch off, to preserve their mental health and family lives.
“Above all, workers' voices need to be represented and heard. It's not about stopping the use of technology in our workplaces, it's about developing a strong legal framework that finally has workers' needs at the centre of it, so we can empower workers to not only adapt to technological changes, but actually benefit from the future of work.”
Notes for editors:
Usdaw (Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers) is one of the fastest growing unions in the TUC and the UK's fifth biggest trade union with around 360,000 members. Most Usdaw members work in the retail sector, but the union also has many members in transport, distribution, food manufacturing, chemical industry and other trades www.usdaw.org.uk
For Usdaw press releases visit: http://www.usdaw.org.uk/news and you can follow us on Twitter/X @UsdawUnion