Microsoft and the Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU) today convened a Workers’ Summit in Sydney to discuss how artificial intelligence (AI) is changing work and to progress practical approaches that put worker voice and skills at the centre of AI adoption in Australia.
The Summit forms part of the ongoing work under the Framework Agreement the ACTU and Microsoft Australia signed earlier this year, which established a commitment to dialogue and collaboration to elevate worker voice and strengthen skills as AI and other emerging technologies are introduced into Australian workplaces.
Under the Framework Agreement, Microsoft and the ACTU are working together across three core areas:
- Sharing information and learning: Providing union leaders and workers with practical insights on AI trends and applications.
- Embedding the worker voice in technology development: Creating channels for workers to share experiences, insights and concerns so their perspectives help inform how AI systems are designed and deployed.
- Collaborating on public policy and skills: Identifying areas of mutual interest to shape responsible AI policy and expand skilling opportunities so workers are equipped to navigate workplace change.
Discussions at today’s Summit focused on practical implementation of AI across Australian workplaces, including how AI is used as a tool of management and as a tool of work, and the impact these technologies are having across industries. The Summit also created space for two-way dialogue and feedback from union delegates about current workplace trends their members are observing.
“Today’s Summit was a first-of-its-kind dialogue between the technology sector and Australia’s union leadership, and an invigorating first step in delivering on the Framework Agreement we signed with the ACTU earlier this year,” said Steven Miller, Area Vice President for Microsoft Australia and New Zealand. “AI is reshaping Australian workplaces at an extraordinary pace, and we firmly believe that our economy and society will be best served if workers are kept at the heart of this transformation.”
“Today’s summit was a positive demonstration of engagement between Microsoft and unions,” said Joseph Mitchell, Assistant Secretary at the ACTU. “Global tech leaders, managers and developers heard directly that for AI to benefit workers and have a positive impact; workers must be involved right from the start, our expertise respected and skills developed along the way.”
The Summit was attended by local Microsoft leadership and technical experts, the ACTU, peak union bodies from New South Wales and Victoria, as well as individual unions representing a wide spectrum of industries.
Over the coming year, Microsoft Australia and the ACTU will continue joint learning and information-sharing activities, establish regular channels for worker input, and identify priority areas for practical work under the Framework Agreement. Microsoft will also work with the Australian Trade Unions Institute to develop AI training specifically for union leaders and staff to ensure they have the skills and confidence to support workers through Australia’s digital transformation.