Promoting human-centred AI in the workplace. Trade unions and their strategies for regulating the use of AI in Germany

Abstract

The use of artificial intelligence (AI) is changing the world of work. For trade unions, the issue of how to regulate the use of AI is a central but difficult topic because the technology is still at an early stage and experience on its use limited. Focusing on Germany, this article addresses the following questions: (1) what areas of application and use cases for AI are relevant for trade unions and works councils?, (2) what role do trade union positions and demands play in the political discussion on regulating the use of AI?, (3) what strategies are trade unions using to influence the regulation and use of AI in the workplace?, and (4) what experiences are they gaining during this process? Reviewing trade union strategies, this article shows which concepts of human-centred AI the trade unions are trying to promote, how they try to ensure that works councils and trade unionists get appropriate training to understand the new technologies, and how dealing with AI is changing the way works councils work. The article also shows how the characteristics of the German system of industrial relations influence discussions on AI and the processes of implementing it in the workplace.

Mechanism for the Formation and Implementation of HR Policy: The Global Experience

“…The cost of operating such private structures is quite high. However, focusing on employees (actual and potential) allows for the consideration of individual values and results, as employees are the main source of performance (Krzywdzinski et al, 2022). Such a system is quite attractive for the Ukrainian market, as it involves an improved remuneration system and motivation.…”

“…In particular, foreign experience should be treated with due regard to their mistakes and national traditions (Palamarchuk & Mironenko, 2019;Lavrov et al, 2022), including the peculiarities of Ukraine's economic life, which is associated with the significant development of agriculture and the need for employees and specialists of the relevant profile (Kozlovskyi et al, 2020;Mudrak et al, 2019). At the same time, the psychology of the national workforce should also be taken into account, as some studies have shown that modern workers may not be ready to accept dramatic changes at the psychological level (Krzywdzinski et al, 2022;Liang et al, 2023). Therefore, it is necessary to develop the skills of adaptation to changing conditions in the workforce.…”

Responsible Development of Emerging Technologies

“…64 Various efforts have been developed to promote these principles or aspects of them for the workplace and workers or stakeholders in general. 64,76 Overall, it is important to promote AI that amplifies and augments human abilities in the workplace and does not replace them, that is, AI that is human-centered. 76,77 This involves designing AI in a way that does not harm workers.…”

Governing the work-related risks of AI: implications for the German government and trade unions

“…They could also inform future-oriented collective bargaining implemented in future-oriented agreements ( Zukunftstarifverträge ) in the metal and engineering sector in 2021. They should aim to foster negotiations between works councils and management regarding future business strategies before a crisis arises (Krzywdzinski et al, 2023; Molina et al, 2023). Sector-specific policy expertise will strengthen and enhance AI-related universal policy measures, such as comprehensive social security including the self-employed, employment status, vocational training systems in fluid organisations, and the responsibility of employers, which are still under discussion in Germany and beyond.…”