OLYMPIA—A bill strengthening workers voice and bargaining rights passed off the House floor March 8. Sponsored by Lisa Parshley (D-Olympia), HB 1622 allows public sector unions representing state employees to bargain over the implementation of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in their workplaces.
“JFK once said, at the height of the space race, ‘For space science, like nuclear science and all technology, has no conscience of its own. Whether it will become a force for good or ill depends on man’”, said Rep. Parshley. “This is where we now stand with AI; whether it becomes a force for good or evil depends on people not AI. This is why we need to give workers a voice now.”
Currently, unions are not able to bargain for or against decisions made by management regarding technology because of a statute passed in 2003.
“Technology was very different in 2003,” said Rep. Parshley. “My cellphone barely fit in my pocket and it couldn’t take pictures. When you connected to the internet you heard screeching dial tones. Our idea of AI was limited to movies like The Terminator. But now AI is here, and we know it’s more than Skynet.”
HB 1622 amends current management rights to exempt AI and allow for workers to bargain over the implementation of AI if it impacts their wages or personnel evaluation. It does not change the original intent of the technology statute, nor does it allow for bargaining over smaller technological decisions like what type of computer or cell phone is issued to employees. It also does not allow bargaining over software updates
“This legislation isn’t about stopping AI from being implemented,” said Parshley. “It simply ensures that implementation is done responsibly, not at the expense of our workers, the very ones who make this a great place to live.”
The bill passed with a vote of 58 to 38 and now moves onto the Senate for consideration.