ABWU Leader Warns Workers Must Prepare for AI Disruption,
The head of the Antigua and Barbuda Workers’ Union urged workers to brace for sweeping changes as artificial intelligence transforms industries, warning that solidarity will be vital to protect jobs and rights in the years ahead.
Delivering his opening address at the union’s 58th Annual Delegates Conference, General Secretary Senator David Massiah said the pace of technological change posed both opportunities and risks, and that unions had a responsibility to help workers adapt.
“It is a beautiful day to be here today… at this, our 58th Annual Delegates Conference,” Massiah told delegates, noting that the theme — Technology and Solidarity: Navigating the New Workplace — was chosen to reflect the challenges facing workers in a rapidly evolving economy.
Massiah pointed to artificial intelligence, digitization, and the platform economy as forces reshaping workplaces at breakneck speed. While these tools can improve efficiency, he cautioned that they also threaten traditional jobs and could deepen inequalities if left unchecked. Preparing workers through re-skilling and advocacy, he said, is central to the union’s mission.
Solidarity, he argued, remains the bedrock of the labor movement. “Solidarity has been the backbone of unions the world over, and it has sustained us through many struggles over the years and will keep us as we march on,” he said.
The union leader tied local concerns to global ones, echoing warnings from labor organizations worldwide that unions must act as a counterbalance to the disruptive effects of automation and remote work. He said cooperation among unions, governments, and employers would be critical to protect worker welfare while embracing innovation.
The conference, which brought together union members, political leaders, and international affiliates, centered on how technology is redefining the world of work — and how workers in small island states like Antigua and Barbuda can remain empowered.
“We must adapt,” Massiah told the gathering, “but we must do so together.”
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