Montreal, le 7 May 2026 — Following the publication of the report put out by the International Observatory on the Societal Impacts of AI and Digital Technologies (OBVIA), several labour organizations — the APTS, CSQ, CSN, FIQ, FTQ, SCFP, SFPQ, SPGQ, and the Syndicat des Métallos, Teamsters Canada and Unifor Québec — are calling for stricter regulation of the deployment of artificial intelligence. They emphasize the importance of transparent governance, the active involvement of workers and their representatives, and increased investment in training and skills development.

The results of a survey of thousands of union members in Quebec confirm what unions are seeing on the ground: AI is already widely used in workplaces, but its implementation is rarely discussed with staff and their representatives. Unions point out that no major technological roll-out can be carried out responsibly without transparency for those directly affected.

“The OBVIA report highlights a widespread lack of transparency regarding the current and future use of AI within organizations. Too many workers are unaware of whether AI systems are influencing their work, their working conditions or the decisions that affect them. This lack of transparency fuels mistrust and undermines trust with employers,” say Robert Comeau (APTS), Éric Gingras (CSQ), Caroline Senneville (CSN), Julie Bouchard (FIQ), Olivier Carrière (FTQ), Danick Soucy (SCFP), Michel Girard (SFPQ), Guillaume Bouvrette (SPGQ), Nicolas Lapierre (Syndicat des Métallos), Teamsters Canada and Daniel Cloutier (Unifor Québec).

Unions stress the urgent need to regulate AI in the workplace, as new AI-driven management systems pose increased risks of surveillance and control. As the report highlights, employers should prioritize AI applications that support employees’ work rather than those designed to track and control them. The OBVIA report shows that the regulatory framework for AI remains largely inadequate or poorly understood.

“The lack of clear policies opens the door to arbitrary use, increased workloads—and even abusive monitoring—of staff,” say the spokespeople.

Unions believe that training on AI should be provided during working hours and tailored to the specific circumstances of each workplace, based on the tools to be used. As well as helping to keep people employed, it should also enable them to understand AI tools, question them and assess their impact.

“The report confirms the extent of the training deficit. The majority of those surveyed say they do not have access to training on AI or are not even aware that such training exists. Yet workers are increasingly being asked to use these tools and to take responsibility in the event of an error,” lament union leaders.

Unions warn that AI must not be allowed to widen inequalities, particularly as entry-level jobs are becoming scarcer for young people. “We need to invest in training so that everyone can adapt and retain their place in a changing world of work.”

The findings of the OBVIA report should serve as a basis for establishing a genuine social dialogue on AI in the workplace. The report shows that when unions are involved, transparency increases, training improves and trust is strengthened.

“The roll-out of artificial intelligence in the workplace must not be at the expense of employees. On the contrary, it must help to improve working conditions and the quality of services provided to the public,” conclude the union spokespeople.