Guardrails needed to protect workers during AI and data centre boom 

SA Unions has released an Artificial Intelligence & Data Centre Policy setting out the guardrails needed to ensure workers share in the benefits and are protected from the potential harms of the AI boom.

The policy comes ahead of Premier Peter Malinauskas travelling to National Cabinet’s meeting on Wednesday, where AI regulation and data centres are high on the agenda.

The Commonwealth is developing new Australian Standards for AI, a Senate inquiry is examining AI and data centres, and the South Australian Government has announced a Royal Commission into AI. As governments consider how AI should be regulated and managed, workers’ voices must be central to these discussions.

Workers in their unions are calling for clear guardrails to ensure AI adoption and data centre development delivers for workers and communities, including:

• Fair payment for infrastructure and sustainable use of resources: data centres paying for the energy, storage, network and other infrastructure they require, including new clean energy capacity, while strengthening grid reliability, protecting water security and ensuring costs are not shifted onto workers, households or communities.
• Genuine Australian and community benefits: data-centre growth that builds Australian manufacturing and supply chains, supports domestic capability, maintains adequate emergency-service capacity, and delivers meaningful consultation and proportionate benefits for affected communities, particularly First Nations communities.
• A genuine say in AI adoption: workers informed and consulted before AI is introduced in their workplace.
• Transparency and human oversight: transparent use of AI for decision-making or surveillance, with meaningful human oversight of decisions affecting employment.
• Protection from discrimination and inequality: AI that does not reinforce bias or discrimination in hiring, promotion or other employment decisions, exacerbate gender pay gaps, or limit workers’ career opportunities.
• Privacy and intellectual property protections: the right to privacy and protection of workers’ personal information and intellectual property when AI is used in the workplace.
• A fair share of the benefits of AI: productivity gains shared with workers through measures including pay increases, shorter working weeks, training and support for a fair transition, including priority for redeployment where jobs are affected.
• Safe, secure and well-paid Australian jobs: quality Australian jobs and enforceable apprentice and trainee targets that support training completion and continuity, without draining the skilled workforce needed by essential industries and local communities.

Quotes attributable to SA Unions Secretary, Dale Beasley:

“AI has the potential to transform workplaces and deliver significant benefits, but workers must get a fair share of those benefits. Strong guardrails are needed now to ensure technological change improves working lives rather than undermining workers’ rights, conditions and security.”

“Workers affected by new technology must have a fair transition. They should have a genuine say in how AI is introduced, with the time, training and support they need to adapt, as well as priority for redeployment if their jobs are affected.”

Quotes attributable to CEPU SA Branch Secretary, John Adley

“The rapid rollout of large-scale data centres presents unprecedented challenges for Australia’s electricity market and energy grid, and these challenges need to be properly considered as this industry expands.”

“The scale and speed of this growth has outpaced our existing legislative and regulatory frameworks, with significant opportunities and risks yet to be properly addressed.That growth will also place further strain on Australia’s already critical skills shortages in the electrical and plumbing trades.”

“The rapid expansion of data centres will place significant additional demand on state and national electricity grids, with the potential to put further upward pressure on electricity prices for South Australians. Therefore, a high degree of caution is required.”

Quotes attributable to ASU SA + NT Branch Secretary, Ella Waters

“AI isn’t some future workplace issue for our members. Administrative, finance and office-based workers are already seeing jobs lost and their work fundamentally changed as AI and automation are introduced.”

“We’ve seen workers expected to train AI systems that could take over their work, and even AI chatbots appearing on organisational charts alongside human workers.”

“These are good, skilled jobs across banking, aviation, local government and other industries. Workers aren’t opposed to new technology, but greater efficiency shouldn’t simply translate into fewer jobs, more outsourcing and work being sent offshore.”

“If AI makes organisations more productive, workers should share in those benefits and where technology changes jobs, the starting point should be training and redeployment, not redundancy.”

Quotes attributable to Engineer (water industry), Andrew Wilkins

“AI cannot be allowed to become a convenient way for employers to outsource responsibility. When an AI system makes or influences a decision, there must always be meaningful human oversight and a clearly identifiable person who is accountable for the outcome.”

“AI is too important to be treated like ordinary software. People who develop, train or deploy AI that affects our jobs, safety or rights should be licensed to do so. They should be properly qualified, required to keep their skills up to date and bound by a strong code of ethics.

“The community has a right to know who is responsible when AI affects people’s lives. If we require doctors, engineers and other professionals to meet these standards, we should expect the same of those responsible for high-risk AI.”

Quotes attributable to Engineer (energy industry), Tom Arnold

“When employers introduce AI that changes the nature of professional work, they have a responsibility to invest in their people. Workers need paid time for training, opportunities to develop new skills and genuine redeployment options where technology changes or eliminates existing roles.”