Las Vegas, Nevada – Presented by SAG-AFTRA and the AFL-CIO, the second annual Labor Innovation and Technology Summit in Las Vegas on January 8th brought together leaders in labor, entertainment, technology, and academia to discuss the impact of emerging technology on labor.
The summit featured opening remarks by SAG-AFTRA President Gabrielle Carteris and a keynote address by SAG-AFTRA National Executive Director David White. AFL-CIO Secretary-Treasurer Liz Shuler and UNITE HERE International President D. Taylor participated in the first panel, which discussed protecting workers’ rights as automation and artificial intelligence become ubiquitous in the workplace. A second panel focused on national security, digital exploitation, and identity protection.
“I would like to thank Liz Schuler at the AFL-CIO for partnering with us in sponsoring the second annual Labor Innovation and Technology Summit. Technology has grown exponentially and it’s imperative that we stay in front of these advancements. There’s no question that unions are the voice of working people and they lift us higher,” said Carteris.
Partnering with the tech industry is critical for unions and their initiative to organize workers. The second annual Labor Innovation & Technology Summit brought together diverse voices for a frank conversation about the union movement and the expanding technology industries.
“It was an honor to bring the expertise from the AFL-CIO Future of Work commission that involved numerous unions to this summit organized by SAG-AFTRA. From its origins, the labor movement has been dealing with technological change and has adapted to continually improve the lives of working families. As advancements in technology move forward, we need to make sure that workers are seated at the head of the table so that our collective bargaining agreements reflect the realities of today’s workers,” said Liz Shuler.
“Those of us representing working people and the companies with which we engage have a tremendous opportunity to ensure the awesome power of technology is balanced with the basic values of treating people fairly, respecting their privacy and protecting their right to personal integrity,” said David White.
