The Lithuanian Trade Union Confederation (LPSK) addressed the Ministry of Economy and Innovation with proposals for the draft Law of the Republic of Lithuania on the Implementation of the European Union Artificial Intelligence Act, prepared by the Ministry.
The LPSK emphasizes that this legal act is an important opportunity to ensure that rapidly spreading artificial intelligence (AI) technologies are implemented avoiding violating employees’ rights.
Necessity to conduct an AI impact assessment
Confederation notes that the principle of human-centric artificial intelligence declared in the draft must not become a formality, but must be implemented in practice. Therefore, it is proposed to establish clear obligations of employers before starting to use high-risk artificial intelligence systems in the field of employment relations.
One of the most important proposals is to provide for a mandatory assessment of the impact of such systems on employees, which would include not only legal aspects, but also the potential risk of discrimination, the impact on privacy protection, working conditions, the psychosocial environment, and the safety and health of employees.
Trade unions emphasize that the results of this assessment must be accessible to employee representatives, thus ensuring transparency and practical control.
The importance of social dialogue
An equally important aspect is social dialogue. Trade unions propose to clearly establish the obligation for employers to consult with employee representatives before implementing artificial intelligence systems. This would allow for a prior assessment of the necessity of such solutions, their purpose and impact on employment relations, and would also help avoid conflicts and negative social consequences.
Great attention is also paid to protecting employee rights. It is proposed to grant trade unions a clear right to collectively file complaints with supervisory authorities, thus strengthening their role in protecting employee interests in cases where artificial intelligence solutions affect wider groups of employees.
At the same time, it is emphasized that employees and their representatives must be properly informed about artificial intelligence systems to be used in the workplace, their operating principles, purpose and impact.
Focus on strengthening employee skills
Trade unions also clearly identify the boundaries that cannot be crossed: decisions that have a fundamental impact on employees’ rights and obligations cannot be made solely by automation. In areas such as recruitment, job evaluation, wages, work organization or dismissal, real human decision and responsibility must remain.
Given the inevitable changes in the labor market, special attention is paid to strengthening employee skills. It is proposed to establish the right of employees to advanced training and retraining at the employer’s expense in cases where artificial intelligence systems fundamentally change the functions or nature of work. This is considered a necessary condition for ensuring that technological progress does not turn into social exclusion.
The importance of monitoring the impact of AI
The Confederation also calls for assessing not only technological efficiency, but also the quality of work. It is proposed to oblige employers to analyze the impact of artificial intelligence on workload, intensity and psychosocial environment and to take measures to ensure the well-being of employees. At the same time, the importance of stronger supervision is emphasized, with a special role for the State Labor Inspectorate, which should participate more actively in controlling the application of artificial intelligence in employment relations.
Finally, the trade unions propose to clearly establish the principle of social justice in the objectives of the law, emphasizing that the regulation of artificial intelligence must be based on the protection of employees’ rights and equal opportunities.
It is expected that these proposals will be included in the final version of the law and will help ensure that the development of artificial intelligence in Lithuania takes place responsibly, combining technological progress with the protection of human dignity and social rights.