On May Day, Democratic Gubernatorial Frontrunner Francesca Hong Releases “Labor SHIFT” Policy to Protect Workers in the AI Age

Democratic gubernatorial frontrunner Francesca Hong today released her "Labor SHIFT: Workers First in the AI Age" policy, a four-pillar framework designed to give Wisconsin workers control over the impact of artificial intelligence on their jobs, wages, and futures. Hong emphasized the need for modern labor policies to address the rapid adoption of AI by corporations, which she noted has already led to significant job cuts, with companies like Amazon, Microsoft, Block, and Oracle explicitly linking layoffs to AI deployment. The "Labor SHIFT" initiative expands on Hong's earlier "CONTROL-ALT-DELETE" framework, introduced in December, which includes a call for a moratorium on AI data center construction in Wisconsin. This proposed moratorium aims to protect Wisconsin communities from the potential environmental, energy, and ratepayer costs associated with such developments. Hong stated that the goal is to ensure workers, not algorithms, dictate the future of work in the state. While other states like Illinois have begun regulating AI in employment decisions, Hong positions Wisconsin to lead on comprehensive AI policy. Her plan covers critical areas such as surveillance, layoffs, collective bargaining, and worker transition, offering a more integrated approach than the piecemeal legislation seen elsewhere. Hong highlighted Wisconsin's historical role in pioneering worker protections, arguing that new tools are necessary to counter AI's potential to surveil workers, automate wages, and replace labor with software.