T&FS – Artificial Intelligence
Why This Matters
Artificial Intelligence (AI) and digital systems are already shaping jobs in telecoms and financial services, from contact centres to field operations. AI has the potential to alter job security, pay and working conditions. Without the CWU intervention, these technologies will be designed and deployed solely in the interests of employers. It’s imperative that we ensure worker voice is a key element to the advancement of new technologies.
A survey conducted in 2024 of all T&FS members found the following:
· 79.3% of members are unaware of new technology at work and their ability to challenge it
· 95% have not tried to obtain information about how a particular technology works
· 77% of members have not given consent before their employer introduced new technology at work
· 87% are unaware of what data is being collected about them
· 80% of T&FS members do not trust the advancement of technological advances in T&FS workplaces
In 2024, the T&FS identified a need to build and sustain confidence and capabilities across the union —from members, representatives and officers. The stakes have risen with key companies like BT announcing an aggressive strategy to cut jobs through AI automation.
With a range of technologies applied in different contexts and over 40+ systems identified, it was clear that we needed to build a comprehensive strategy as employers are moving fast, and we needed to build capacity to respond just as quickly.
What we’ve done
· Twenty-five full-time union officials from the TFSE executive and National Teams took part, with the senior leadership actively involved. · Five monthly ‘action learning’ workshops, facilitated by Connected by Data has focused on the following building blocks:
1. Building Competency – Equipping National Teams and Officers to identify, articulate and address the risks of digital and AI systems, and spreading this knowledge across the TFS.
2. Bargaining Agenda -Establishing the union’s demands and negotiating position, including drafting a model collective agreement. This should cover:
a. Transparency on AI systems
b. Mandatory Algorithmic Impact Assessments that are shared with the Union
c. Job Security
d. Redeployment and Skills Enhancement
e. Data Rights, Ethical Use and Surveillance Limits
f. Redress, Human Control, Accountability and Non-Discrimination
3. Member Activation – Empowering members through awareness and collective action, to ensure members are pivotal in the resolution of their workplace issues. Initiatives to date have included: Member Survey, AI Awareness Week’ and a CWU Live podcast episode on AI
What are our demands?
1. Worker voice at all levels of tech decision-making, design and deployment
2. A fair share of AI-related benefits – in pay, skills, working hours, and training
3. Robust safeguards against bias, discrimination, and other harms
How can we achieve it?
· Continue to build competency across our constituency – Education events planned in Autumn 2025
· Continue to build on model collective agreement and clear negotiating framework for each recognised company
· Work on building member action through further AI Awareness Weeks and asking members to report concerns, and take part in action initiatives. This will help create leverage in our negotiations for a model collective agreement
Materials
AI Awareness Week
08336A Talking to members about AI – a brief for Branche A4 – not printed – v2.pdf
Further Reading
TT&FS survey of members on AI, May 2024
‘Training My Replacement’: Inside a Call Center Worker’s Battle With A.I – New York Times
AI is making Philippine call center work more efficient, for better and worse
Communications Workers of America – AI principles and recommendations
Up to 8 million UK jobs at risk from AI unless government acts, finds IPPR
UNI Global – UNION ACTIONS ON AI: COLLECTIVE BARGAINING SHAPING THE NEW WORLD OF WORK