The Newfoundland and Labrador Federation of Labour is urging the provincial government to “put the interests of workers front and center” when it comes to any AI policy review.
The federation was responding to what it calls “a string of high-profile stories” related to the use of AI by both the current and former governments.
President Jessica McCormick says government needs to ensure that a thorough review takes place and “strict and transparent” policies are put in place.
McCormick says workers are worried about how AI will impact their jobs, and government has a chance to ease people’s minds through their policies, legislation, and at the bargaining table.
“We need to take a step back and make sure we have the right policies in place, whether it’s government policy, also the right measures in our collective agreements to protect workers, and to protect the work that so many workers do in the province from the encroachment of AI or the use of AI to potentially eliminate some of that good work.”
