The National Metal Workers' Union, a major industrial union in South Korea, has positioned the introduction of artificial intelligence (AI) as a key issue in this year's wage collective bargaining negotiations. Amid the rapid spread of AI technologies such as generative AI and humanoid robots in industrial settings, the union has called for pre-agreements on employment security measures between labor and management. This demand reflects concerns about potential job losses that could arise from the integration of AI into various sectors such as automotive, shipbuilding, and steel manufacturing, where the union represents over 180,000 members across more than 500 workplaces.

During their recent regular delegate meeting, the Metal Workers' Union voted to include clauses that ensure labor rights and employment protection when AI systems are to be introduced at work. The union emphasized that technology needs to support, enhance, and complement workers' skills and creativity without undermining job security or violating human rights. Their stance is reinforced by recent announcements from Hyundai Motor Group regarding the phased introduction of humanoid robots into production processes, to which the union responded with a firm stance that no robot should be allowed on the shop floor without mutual labor-management agreement.

The union's bargaining proposal stipulates that any AI implementation must involve prior consultation and agreements with the union. It mandates that companies must inform the union ahead of introducing AI technologies affecting work processes and personnel management, enabling a collaborative assessment of the potential impacts on members’ employment and working conditions. This collective approach to AI integration underscores the need for labor protection in the face of advancing technology and serves as a warning against using AI solely as a means of labor replacement.