Unions press for bargaining rights, human review and nurse protections as AI arrives at work

Union leaders and unionized nurses told delegates at the Washington State Labor Council convention that artificial intelligence is already changing workplaces and that workers must secure bargaining rights, transparency and legal protections now.

Katie Durkin, a lobbyist for the Washington Federation of State Employees, told the room that public‑sector workers in Washington currently “do not have the right to bargain over technology implementation in their workplace. Full stop.” She warned that agencies frequently adopt tools without frontline input and urged documentation of system failures.

Matt Lim, a shop steward and worker negotiator, said his bargaining team won contract language that requires advance notice before new technology is deployed and mandates human review before discipline is imposed on the basis of AI‑generated data. "Start now," Lim told delegates when asked what unions should do.

Jessica Hoffy of the Washington State Nurses Association described the recently passed Nurse Title Protection law (HB 2155), which she said prevents companies from using AI systems that present themselves as nurses. Hoffy said the law aims to protect patient safety, transparency and professional accountability by ensuring a human is behind the title.

Panel moderator Crystal White and others emphasized two tracks: use collective bargaining to secure workplace protections and pursue public policy to set legal floors such as title protections and reporting requirements. Examples cited included problematic implementations at state agencies and a Medicare pilot the panel said produced high rates of erroneous denials, underscoring the need for oversight.

Panelists encouraged unions to train members, gather evidence of harms, seek clear contract language on notice and review, and to push for policies that make human accountability and patient safety non‑negotiable when AI tools are used in health care and public services.