Tech Worker Organizing for Power and Accountability

William Boag, Harini Suresh

Abstract:

In recent years, there has been a growing interest in the field of “AI
Ethics” and related areas. This field is purposefully broad, allowing
for the intersection of numerous subfields and disciplines. How-
ever, a lot of work in this area thus far has centered computational
methods, leading to a narrow lens where technical tools are framed
as solutions for broader sociotechnical problems. In this work, we
discuss a less-explored mode of what it can mean to “do” AI Ethics:
tech worker collective action. Through collective action, the em-
ployees of powerful tech companies can act as a countervailing
force against strong corporate impulses to grow or make a profit to
the detriment of other values. In this work, we ground these efforts
in existing scholarship of social movements and labor organizing.
We characterize 150 documented collective actions, and explore sev-
eral case studies of successful campaigns. Looking forward, we also
identify under-explored types of actions, and provide conceptual
frameworks and inspiration for how to utilize worker organizing
as an effective lever for change.