A union in Onondaga County, New York, is suing to stop the use of artificial intelligence to answer nonemergency calls at the county's 911 center, citing a violation of its labor agreement.
What happened
The system in question handles routine calls and transfers suspected emergencies to human operators. Meanwhile, American ports are struggling to compete with global rivals due to resistance to automation from longshoremen unions.
The International Longshoremen's Association has restricted automation in East and Gulf Coast ports, securing a 62% wage increase over six years but limiting the use of autonomous cranes. This has resulted in only one US port ranking among the world's top 50 in terms of vessel turnaround efficiency.
Similar disputes have occurred in the past, such as when diesel locomotives replaced steam engines and unions fought to preserve firemen jobs, and when containerization transformed shipping, leading to a 134-day strike by the International Longshore and Warehouse Union.
These incidents highlight the tension between unions' efforts to protect their members' jobs and the potential benefits of technological advancements for consumers and the broader economy.
