Worker Voice and Emerging Technology Development
New America's Shalin Jyotishi on how to operationalize a vision for worker voice in the innovation economy.
Article/Op-Ed in Issues in Science and Technology
Jan. 8, 2025
Shalin Jyotishi joined AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler to contribute to an Issues in Science and Technology article, responding to a call from Amanda Ballantyne, Jodi Forlizzi, and Crystal Weise prioritizing workers in emerging technology development. Amalgamating contemporary issues and insights in science policy, labor policy, and technology policy, Shalin's response emphasized approaches and policy pilots to operationalize researcher, technologist, worker, and labor collaborations to maximize the benefits of emerging technologies while mitigating risks.
Amanda Ballantyne, Jodi Forlizzi, and Crystal Weise present a compelling argument for elevating workers’ voices in the federal research and technology development enterprise through labor union collaborations. The authors argue that doing so will help optimize the usefulness of applied research, boost trust and buy-in of technology development, and mitigate risks and unintended consequences of emerging technologies funded by taxpayer dollars.
To some people in the science, technology, and innovation policy community, this argument may seem drastic—but, in fact, it aligns well with the community’s efforts to accomplish all of those goals. After all, in all grant proposals submitted to the National Science Foundation, the “Broader Impacts” discussion is a critical component. It answers the question: How does your research benefit society?
Read the full article here.