n By Keith Hatch ‘‘


AI feels very distant and unclear to them. They assume it will mainly affect office staff… it is difficult for them to visualise the real impact


Asta Zarecke,


Unite equalities rep, Hovis, Avonmouth


includes a model agreement that reps can tailor to their own workplace (see below for details).


The guide includes issues that should be covered in any agreement, such as data protection, transparency and accountability, surveillance and monitoring, the right to disconnect, training and ‘new technology committees.’


Unite Education also runs a one-day course ‘AI: Threat or Opportunity.’


Unite South West ran a session this year. It explained what AI is, possible equalities implications and the dangers of social media being used by the far right. The course wrapped up exploring ways union members can organise around AI.


Asta Zarecke, a Unite equality rep who has worked for Hovis in Avonmouth as a maintenance shift engineer for nearly six years was one of the delegates.


Asta feels it important to be a union member “because it acts as insurance for your job safety, also we are stronger together to protect and support ourselves.”


Though Asta is not aware of plans to introduce AI at Hovis yet, the workforce is concerned. She explained, “We have heard many stories of AI taking over people's jobs. There is also a slight concern that AI is not as good as people might think, it makes lots of mistakes and doesn’t have a human factor or emotional intelligence.”


Working in food production she only sees potential benefits “for corporate welfare, rather than workers.”


Asta added, “Workers on the shopfloor doing manual labour jobs, are not concerned about their job security as, in their words, computers cannot do


their job as it is too complicated and it would take a long time to teach a robot to carry out the tasks they are doing.


“AI feels very distant and unclear to them. They assume it will mainly affect office staff. The system has not yet been physically introduced on the line; it is difficult for them to visualise the real impact.”


She enjoyed the Unite training and discussions, saying it was, “very helpful and eye opening to see how much AI is already implemented in the daily lives of workers and unfortunately it's not always for the best.”


One area raised by delegates was monitoring, echoing one of Unite’s key concerns.


Recently Unite national health and safety adviser Rob Miguel spoke to Labour Research about the issue, saying that AI monitoring is not “new but expanding fast, particularly as new technologies emerge. In the US alone, the number of medium-to-large


FIND OUT MORE


See Unite’s model agreement by visiting bit.ly/42iBuzU or scan the QR code.


To get on an AI course contact your regional education team at your regional office. See contact details on page 47.


21 uniteLANDWORKER Summer 2026


employers using tools to track workers doubled in two years from March 2020 to 60 per cent and was expected to rise to 70 per cent by 2025.”


Technology is being used to track productivity digitally in industries such as food processing, and Rob added “Unite will be ensuring we are part of the discussions on any monitoring of workers’ productivity with both government and employers.”


Unite FDA national officer Paul Travers added that, “The increased use of AI in workplaces is inevitable, however Unite will be there to make sure that workers, and not just employers, benefit from the technology.


“It is vital that workers are consulted over the implementation of any systems, and I would encourage reps and branches to look at the resources that the union has produced and negotiate appropriate AI agreements as part of pay claims, to ensure workers’ rights are respected.”


Image AI Gnenerated


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