The vice-president of the National Federation of Associations of Self-Employed Workers (ATA), Celia Ferrero, has argued this Wednesday that training in artificial intelligence (AI) and digital skills should not focus solely on employees, but must also include employers, as they will be the ones to assume responsibility for introducing these technologies into their companies and businesses.
Ferrero sent this message at the Tripartite Seminar on Algorithmic Management of Work, organized by the European Commission, where she spoke on behalf of CEOE and Eurofound as a representative of European employers in this field.
In her presentation, she insisted that "it makes no sense to train workers and not those who employ them" and warned that, both in discussions about artificial intelligence applied to labor relations and in training programs, the same effort is not being dedicated to preparing those who will have to implement these technological solutions.
The vice-president of ATA highlighted that 93.1% of the European business fabric is made up of micro-enterprises with fewer than ten employees and pointed out that most of these companies will not design their own algorithms, but will opt to buy already developed tools. For this reason, she considers it essential that their managers have adequate training to choose solutions tailored to their needs and that, at the same time, guarantee respect for the rights of both workers and customers.
In this regard, she emphasized the convenience of intensifying training in fields such as digital risk assessment, data protection, and cybersecurity, understanding that these are "essential" elements for driving the digitalization of the productive fabric.
Regarding the use of algorithms in the workplace, Ferrero recalled that the so-called 'Rider Law' recognizes in Spain the right of legal representation of workers to be informed about these tools, the result of an agreement reached within the framework of social dialogue.
Nevertheless, she raised the convenience of opening a broader discussion on what type of information should be provided to employees and on the possible risks related to data protection, confidentiality, and intellectual property rights.
Ferrero has also highlighted that there are multiple artificial intelligence systems with very different uses and characteristics depending on the sector and activity, for which he has advocated the relevance of social dialogue and collective bargaining to face the challenges associated with this technology. In this regard, he has stressed that "social dialogue and collective bargaining must be reinforced, as well as the training of their cadres and negotiators at the tables on these matters".
To conclude, he has pointed out that artificial intelligence can become "the greatest technological revolution of humanity so far" and has defended that its risks must be analyzed from the knowledge and training of all the actors involved.