Australian dock workers are demanding a 28-hour workweek without pay cuts as AI and automation take hold in their work processes, the BBC reported.
The demand comes as logistics company DP World plans to introduce remote-controlled cranes, assisted by AI, as well as unmanned vehicles in port operations. According to the Maritime Union of Australia, the changes could threaten more than 60% of jobs in the affected activities, which equates to more than 1,000 employees employed in loading and unloading operations and maintenance.
The union insists that if companies use AI and automation, workers should receive a share of the economic impact of the new technologies. The organization defines this as a “social dividend“ and warn that technological solutions should not only lead to higher profits for operators at the expense of employment.
“Technology should be used to improve people's lives, not destroy them“, the dock workers say.
DP World is increasingly testing artificial intelligence tools to manage employees and work schedules. However, unions say the automation program has not been discussed in advance with the workers who will be directly affected by the changes.
DP World employees in Australia currently work between 32 and 35 hours a week, depending on the location. The demand for a 28-hour workweek without a pay cut raises the question of whether increased productivity from automation should translate only into corporate profits, or also lead to shorter working hours for employees.
DP World handles millions of containers a year at Australian ports, including Sydney and Melbourne. Globally, the company operates in 84 countries, employs more than 126,000 people and handles about a tenth of the world's container traffic.
The Australian case is part of a wider debate about the future of work in the age of artificial intelligence. While businesses see automation as a way to increase efficiency and reduce costs, unions insist that the technological transition must be negotiated with employees and ensure that incomes, jobs and working conditions are protected.
Last year, DP World Asia Pacific CEO Glenn Hilton said that the use of artificial intelligence was no longer a matter of choice but a necessity. For workers, however, the key question is who will pay the price of this necessity — companies, through sharing the benefits, or employees, through job losses.