| On Tuesday, The New York Times reported on the historic agreement between Microsoft and the AFL-CIO, in which the tech giant committed to remaining neutral if any of its U.S.-based staff seek unionization. Approximately 100,000 workers will now be eligible to unionize in an effective expansion of a neutrality agreement Microsoft previously established with the Communications Workers of America (CWA) earlier this year. The partnership will also include meetings between Microsoft and labor leaders about ethical usage of artificial intelligence (AI) and how to prevent job elimination as AI technology expands rapidly. At a forum announcing the partnership, AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler said, “Never before in the history of these American tech giants, dating back 50 years or so ago, has one of these companies made a broad commitment to labor rights… Not only have they made a commitment, they formalized it and put it in writing.” |
