The rise of artificial intelligence (AI) is not a distant phenomenon—it’s here, reshaping our workplaces, our roles, and the very nature of labor itself. For some, this might seem like a leap toward efficiency and progress, but for us—the workers of Israel—it raises profound and urgent questions. The Histadrut, as the voice of Israel’s working people, has a clear message: we will not allow technology to erode the dignity, rights, or livelihoods of workers. Instead, we demand a future where innovation and humanity go hand in hand.
History teaches us a vital lesson: technological change is inevitable, but its consequences are shaped by those in power. Without safeguards, we risk a reality where AI becomes a tool to marginalize workers, strip them of protections, and undermine their collective power. This is an unacceptable prediction of the future.
Protecting Workers Rights in the AI Era
The Histadrut calls for a national framework that ensures transparency, fairness, and respect for workers. The government and companies implementing AI must disclose how decisions are made, which tasks are automated, and what data is being collected. It is not enough to deploy machines that make decisions; these decisions must be accountable, unbiased, and most importantly subject to human oversight. A joint committee of workers and management must regularly monitor AI systems to ensure they uphold these standards.
Privacy is nonnegotiable. Workers have the right to know how their data is collected, stored, and used. Employers must implement rigorous safeguards to prevent abuse and unauthorized access. Consent cannot be a checkbox—it must be an informed and meaningful process.
Training for Tomorrow’s Jobs
Automation may make some roles redundant, but it also opens great opportunities for reskilling and growth. Workers who face the threat of job loss deserve professional training to expand their skill sets—whether for roles within their current workplace or to enhance their value in the broader job market. This is a systemic interest. AI should be a tool for empowerment, not displacement.
For workers whose roles change due to AI, tailored training must be mandatory. Teaching employees to collaborate with these technologies ensures a partnership between human and machine, rather than a rivalry. It’s incumbent on the government to ensure that there will always be a national or sectorial safety net securing compensation for those workers that find themselves without growth opportunities.
Fighting for Direct Employment
We have already seen how the platform economy erodes labor rights, sometimes transforming workers into disposable commodities. The integration of AI threatens to expand this exploitative model, replacing direct employment with precarious freelancing and outsourcing. This cannot stand. The Histadrut insists on collective agreements that protect workers from being forced into unstable, insecure jobs under the guise of technological progress.
Preserving Human Contact
As more tasks are automated and remote work becomes widespread, the danger of isolation grows. Face-to-face interactions for people are not just a luxury—they are the backbone of workplace solidarity, mutual exchanges that cultivate creativity. We must preserve spaces and structures that foster collaboration, unity, and collective strength among workers.
A Workweek for the 21st Century
The time has come to rethink how we work. If AI increases productivity, let those gains benefit everyone. A four-day workweek is not just a dream; it’s a necessity in a world where machines can shoulder more of the burden. Shortening the workweek will ensure a life-work balance that leads to progress and more balance and prevents burnout.
Keeping Artificial Intelligence Humane
In the Histadrut, we do not fear technology; we fear its potential misuse. AI should not widen the gap between the powerful and the powerless—it should close it. The Histadrut is ready to fight for a future where workers rights are not only protected but enhanced in the age of AI.
The stakes are clear: this is not just about machines replacing jobs; it’s about the kind of society we want to build. Will we allow AI to divide and exploit us? Or will we harness it to create a fairer, more equitable future?
We choose the latter. We choose to fight. Together, workers have the power to shape tomorrow, just as we have shaped the victories of the past. Let us rise, united, and ensure that the age of AI is one of justice, dignity, and respect for all.
Hila Shienok is the Histadrut’s director of policy, and Peter Lerner is the director general of the Histadrut’s international relations division.
