Microsoft embraces unions with partnership on AI

Microsoft broke with its tech industry peers Monday by announcing a new partnership with the AFL-CIO, the nation’s largest federation of unions.

The goal of the partnership is to incorporate input from workers in the development of artificial intelligence and to train them in the skills needed to adapt to the technology. Microsoft and the AFL-CIO will host training sessions and labor summits, and the two will advocate together for legislation related to AI and the workforce.

Microsoft President Brad Smith and AFL-CIO President Liz Schuler announced the partnership at an event in Washington, D.C.

“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,” Shuler said during the event. “It is historic. Not only have they made a commitment, they've formalized it and put it in writing, which is what we look for in the labor movement.”

The tech industry is largely seen as an adversary in the labor movement revival of the past few years. Amazon has ardently opposed efforts to unionize its warehouses. Google has been accused of retaliating against workers for organizing. But Microsoft appears to be charting a different course.

When the Redmond-based software giant announced plans to acquire gaming giant Activision Blizzard, a union campaign was already underway. Microsoft pledged to remain neutral in all union negotiations at Activision. The AFL-CIO partnership builds on that agreement, which Microsoft made with an affiliated union, the Communication Workers of America.

“It is possible, in fact, it's even constructive and desirable to find new ways for a tech company like Microsoft and labor to work together,” Smith said at the event Monday.

Asked whether he hoped Microsoft would inspire other tech companies to change their tune, Smith sounded cautiously optimistic.

“I always want to be respectful of everybody's right to make their own decisions,” he said. “But I do think we're an industry that tends to learn from success. We have the opportunity to create a new success, and I suspect that as we do, others will be quick to follow.”