Last week, CWA Local 3204 Vice President Tony Barlow testified at an Education and Workforce field hearing in Augusta, Ga., titled \u201cBuilding an AI-Ready America: How AI is Creating Opportunities Across America\u2019s Workforce.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Barlow, an outside plant technician for AT&T in Atlanta spoke about the potential pitfalls of artificial intelligence (AI) adoption if the technology is put in place without proper guardrails to ensure worker safety and job security. Said Barlow, \u201cCWA call center workers nationwide report that AI tools are designed to automate both frontline tasks, like note-taking, and management functions, like scheduling, training, and performance evaluations. In a 2023 survey, nearly 3,000 CWA call center members reported AI tools negatively impact their job quality. Rather than improve their jobs, most workers felt AI tools sped up work, expanded monitoring and discipline linked to surveillance, increased workplace stress, lowered job satisfaction, and did not improve customer service.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Barlow went on to reference both the \u201cNo Robot Bosses Act\u201d and the \u201cKeep Call Centers in America Act.\u201d Both bills are legislative priorities for CWA designed to minimize harm caused by AI to workers and customers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n