Posts tagged AI
Why the Building Construction Unions Love Data Centers
March 25, 2026 // There’s a building boom going on in America – but it isn’t so much housing or office buildings. It’s data centers. This explains why even though liberals are rebelling against data centers, union workers love the high-paying jobs they create. Here’s a construction industry milestone
States Lead the Way on Portable Benefits and Flexible Work
March 24, 2026 // The momentum behind portable benefits reflects the strength of a growing network of organizations and leaders committed to modernizing workforce policy. Americans for Prosperity has worked in conjunction with a diverse range of state and national organizations including the Mercatus Center, Libertas Institute, Institute for the American Worker, Independent Women, R Street Institute, and more from state to state. With research, data, examples of those who would benefit, and a dose of optimism, the educational outreach to highlight how beneficial these reforms are to American families has created a surge of interest among state lawmakers who increasingly understand this golden opportunity to help their residents thrive in today’s economy including shifts due to the rise of AI and other technology.
ProPublica’s unionized staff vote to authorize strike: ‘We are ready to walk off the job’
March 22, 2026 // The unionized staff at ProPublica voted to authorize a strike Thursday evening, declaring they were "ready to walk off the job" in order to send a message to management.
Commentary: Back to the Dark Ages? Unions Push Bills to Slow Workplace Technology
March 10, 2026 // In practice, introducing AI in unionized workplaces could require union approval. The bill also requires companies to hire a state-approved auditor to test AI systems for bias before deployment. If disparate impact is found, the system cannot be used until the Labor Commissioner signs off on corrective measures. Businesses would effectively need a government permission slip to deploy their own software. The legislation goes even further by limiting how state agencies may use artificial intelligence, requiring legislative authorization before purchasing or deploying many AI systems. Rather than encouraging innovation, the default posture treats AI as suspect unless expressly approved. At the same time, Senate Bill 438 would regulate self-checkout machines in grocery stores.
Labor Watch: St. John’s Axes Unions, CSU Strike Pays Off
March 5, 2026 // St. John’s is the second institution to use a religious exemption to shutter its union this academic year; in the fall, the Loyola Marymount University Board of Trustees announced it would no longer recognize its non-tenure-track faculty union and cease bargaining.
Op-ed: When taxpayers incentivize jobs, the state should protect workers’ privacy in union votes
February 26, 2026 // Now, Rankin County Republican State Sen. Josh Harkins, who chairs the Senate Finance Committee, has introduced legislation to protect the investments of state and local taxpayers in economic development projects that rely on taxpayer incentives. The bill ensures that Mississippi workers are entitled to a private ballot for any unionization vote. In a recent op-ed, Harkins explained: “Senate Bill 2202 is straightforward: for companies that choose to accept future state economic development incentives, any decision about union representation should be made through a private, secret-ballot election. The bill does not prohibit employees from organizing. It does not outlaw unions. It does not interfere with an employee’s right to choose union representation if a majority wants it. It simply sets an expectation that the decision is made in a way that protects (worker) privacy.”
Weeks before studio negotiations, the Writers Guild of America’s staff union goes on strike
February 18, 2026 // Last month, the union first authorized a strike, with 82% of its members in favor. The staff union, made up of over 100 workers across legal, communications, residuals and other departments, was formed last spring and contract negotiations began in September. The bargaining has focused on concerns about the growth and use of artificial intelligence, pay raises and “basic protections” like grievance procedures.
Sex workers at Pahrump brothel are unionizing, alleging unfair contracts and conditions
February 12, 2026 // To unionize, the workers must first prove to federal labor authorities that they are employees rather than independent contractors, who have limited bargaining rights. Then they will vote on joining the union and begin negotiating a new contract. Sheri’s Ranch, which was established in 2001 by former Chicago homicide detective Chuck Lee, maintains that the workers are not eligible for collective bargaining. “We respect the right of individuals to express their views on workplace structure,” Communications Director Jeremy Lemur told The Indy in a written statement. “At the same time, Sheri’s Ranch remains confident in the longstanding legal and regulatory framework that has supported independent contractors operating their own businesses in association with the resort for decades.”
Empowering Workers in a Changing Economy with Vinnie Vernuccio | Let People Prosper Ep. 184
February 6, 2026 // Too many labor policies today assume workers need protection from choice. But the evidence shows the opposite. When workers can choose how they work, who represents them, and how they negotiate, they’re better off—economically and personally. Vinnie Vernuccio’s work reminds us that labor policy should serve workers as individuals, not institutions with political clout. If we want a labor market that adapts, innovates, and actually lifts people up, we need reforms rooted in freedom—not nostalgia.
Academic showdown: NYU professors launch strike authorization vote
February 4, 2026 // Contract Faculty United-UAW (CFU-UAW) said it would open the strike voting on Feb. 9, with balloting continuing through Feb. 20. The union represents close to 950 full-time non-tenure track professors and librarians across 12 New York University (NYU) schools, accounting for roughly half of the higher-education facility’s full-time faculty.