New manifesto defends workers ’ rights from Artificial Intelligence

UNISON today signed up to a TUC manifesto designed to protect workers’ rights as technology increases in the workplace. The manifesto, Dignity at work and the AI revolution, is based on a new report that says that employment law is failing to keep pace with the rapid expansion of Artificial Intelligence (AI) at work – which could lead to widespread discrimination and unfair treatment. TUC president Frances O’Grady said this was “a crucial moment in the AI-driven technological workplace revolution.” The report highlights how the use of AI has been accelerated by the coronavirus pandemic, with AI-powered technologies now making “high-risk, life changing” decisions about workers’ lives, such as selecting candidates for interview, day-to-day line management, performance ratings, shift allocation and deciding who is disciplined or made redundant. One of the more shocking findings is that AI is being used to analyse facial expressions, tone of voice and accents in order to assess candidates’ suitability for roles. The report says that unless urgent new legal protections are put in place, workers will become increasingly vulnerable and powerless to challenge “inhuman” forms of AI performance management. To that end, the TUC has issued a joint call to tech companies, employers and government to support a new set of legal reforms for the ethical use of AI at work. These include: A legal duty on employers to consult trade unions on the use of “high risk...
Source: UNISON Health care news - Category: UK Health Authors: Tags: Article News TUC workers rights Source Type: news