Joint Center Vice President Participates in Groundwork Collaborative Twitter Chat on Worker Power and Technology

On January 21, Joint Center Vice President Jessica Fulton participated in Groundwork Collaborative’s Twitter chat on worker power and technology with Omidyar Network Principal Joelle Gamble and Institute for Women’s Policy Research Study Director Dr. Chandra Childers. View the discussion on #WorkerPower below.

Technology has also been used to more closely monitor workers and control them while at work #workerpower https://t.co/uweXKclmya

— Chandra Childers (@ChandraChilders) January 21, 2020

When tech is implemented from the top-down, employers may to use it to more closely control workers lives through worker surveillance or just in time scheduling or they may use it to lower wages through workplace fissuring. #workerpower https://t.co/wsmYww4Gsx

— Jessica Fulton (@JessicaJFulton) January 21, 2020

Two ways to look at the power imbalance are through 1) decentralization and 2) information. (1/5) #workerpower https://t.co/BN8B1RDYyo

— Joelle Gamble (@joelle_gamble) January 21, 2020

All of the things I've mentioned may have disproportionate effects on people of color and white women, b/c those are the folks who tend to be in jobs where they have less #workerpower https://t.co/9cmb4yBMos

— Jessica Fulton (@JessicaJFulton) January 21, 2020

On top of that, we MUST talk about the history of surveilling communities of color in the U.S. Folks of color are tracked most, compensated the least & have historically been excluded from the labor mvnt. We are at the intersection of all the trends in the “future of work” (2/2)

— Joelle Gamble (@joelle_gamble) January 21, 2020

The robots aren't coming for everyone, but we do need to pay close attention to the fact that many of the tasks where automation is possible/likely are currently tasks in roles where Black and Latino workers are concentrated #workerpower https://t.co/UxWd2FHL7O

— Jessica Fulton (@JessicaJFulton) January 21, 2020

No. https://t.co/FWEkMqp1yl

— Joelle Gamble (@joelle_gamble) January 21, 2020

Technology will not replace human workers but many of the jobs that are growing will need technology (and public policy) to help make them good jobs that are safe and that pay a living wage. https://t.co/zMD3TB6gVp

— Chandra Childers (@ChandraChilders) January 21, 2020

There’s so much that policymakers can do to ensure that tech isn’t used to exacerbate marginalization. But one big thing would be to increase the ability of workers to control what happens to them by using #workerpower https://t.co/ZVrLG5wtjK

— Jessica Fulton (@JessicaJFulton) January 21, 2020

Recognize that precarious work, even with the new technologies, isn't new and will require that they ensure workers have a seat at the policy making table #workerpower https://t.co/usZrI8R4dv

— Chandra Childers (@ChandraChilders) January 21, 2020