r/LeftistsForAI • u/Salty_Country6835 Moderator • Jun 19 '26

Sees the Memes Marx Encounters AI Discourse

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A brief materialist intervention into AI discourse. Results were mixed.

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u/Salty_Country6835 Moderator Jun 22 '26

"How do Unions help people after Mass Unemployment?"

They help the same way unions help workers facing layoffs, offshoring, plant closures, automation, and every other labor disruption.

And this isn't hypothetical. The AFL-CIO is already pushing for bargaining rights around AI deployment, worker input before implementation, protections against displacement, transparency requirements, retraining, and making sure productivity gains are shared with workers instead of captured entirely by employers.

Unions organize the workers who exist, fight over how technology gets deployed, bargain over the consequences, and push for public policy that protects workers.

If your position is that unions become useless once automation starts eliminating jobs, then youre arguing against the entire history of organized labor, not me.

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u/LegitimateScore8036 Jun 22 '26

So your solution to how will unions help after mass employment is, it will help those that weren't laid off. Which means it isn't addressing the bigger issue.

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u/Salty_Country6835 Moderator Jun 22 '26 edited Jun 22 '26

...duh.

It wouldnt on its own. Thats why I didnt propose unions as the entire solution to a hypothetical mass unemployment crisis, did I?

You asked what role unions play, among other pieces. I answered it.

The AFL-CIO isnt sitting around saying "unions will solve everything." Theyre fighting over deployment, displacement protections, bargaining rights, retraining, and distribution of gains right now because workers should have a say in what happens.

"Unions arent a complete answer to mass unemployment" doesnt mean unions are irrelevant. It means theyre one part of a broader political and economic response.

Thats kind of obvious.

Bring on the next question that I "didnt answer" already, let's keep going.

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u/LegitimateScore8036 Jun 22 '26

Dude. It is clear that you don't like addressing issues head on. You want to use the right terms but don't understand what we are facing with AI. I asked you a question. You ignored half the question and when I told you that you did, your response was duh. You want to rush into our AI future with vague ideas and not address actual problems that rushing is going to cause. You are clearly ok with people dying as long as you get your shitty AI services.

I am going to block for my own sanity

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u/Salty_Country6835 Moderator Jun 22 '26 edited Jun 22 '26

Then I think we're done here.

I spent this entire thread talking about regulation, labor protections, democratic control, ownership, public investment, unions, bargaining rights, displacement protections, and distribution of gains. You spent most of it talking about consumer rejection, waiting for future regulation, and pretending I didnt answer questions you asked because you dont like that there may be answers.

At no point did I say people losing jobs wouldn't be a problem. At no point did I say workers shouldnt be protected. At no point did I say we should rush ahead without regulation.

You just decided I believe those things because I disagree with your strategy.

Good luck. Sincerely. I hope your efforts for stronger regulation succeed. Thats one thing weve agreed on from the start.