Routine technology briefings and ongoing updates

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In addition to advance notifications and disclosure requirements, some agreements establish recurring mechanisms for keeping unions informed about technology-related developments over time. These provisions support sustained communication, proactive planning, and continued union engagement as technology evolves or new initiatives emerge. While some clauses require regularly scheduled briefings, others establish flexible or issue-driven meeting structures tied to ongoing projects or specific employer plans.

The examples below fall into two main categories:

• Scheduled technology briefings: Requires employers to provide structured, periodic updates, often semi-annual or quarterly, on upcoming technology deployments, timelines, skill impacts, and training needs.
• Ongoing meetings or project-specific discussions: Establishes forums for continued dialogue, including regular check-ins, briefings tied to specific initiatives, and opportunities for union input on emerging issues or system evaluations.

Scheduled technology briefings

These provisions establish a recurring briefing schedule, requiring employers to provide unions with updates on anticipated technology rollouts, workforce impacts, and implementation timelines at set intervals (e.g., semi-annually or quarterly).

Examples: 

• “In fulfillment of its obligation to provide information to the [Union], the Company will, not less than semi-annually provide a briefing to the [Union] of the company’s plans for the introduction of new technology which may affect the employees. During these briefings, the company will inform the [Union] of anticipated schedules of introduction of new technology, and will identify areas of skill impacts and any intended training programs associated with those impacts. Included will be briefings on the implementation of computer-based systems that will result in the displacement of employees.” (IAMAW-OLMS16)
• Each company agrees to meet with the Union at least twice a year to review and discuss information on current and planned uses of Generative AI in production. (WGA-PCBA1)
• The Companies and the Union have agreed to hold regular meetings to monitor and discuss the use of AI in motion picture production. All parties will participate in semi-annual “joint industry-wide” meetings to allow all parties to review publicly available information on AI use in film production. Topics will be shared in advance. Companies will meet individually with the Union on a quarterly-basis, at the request of the Union, to disclose significant AI-related technological developments in their productions that may impact covered employees. Meetings may address job impacts, safety protocols for AI-controlled equipment, efforts to prevent AI bias, and training needs for employees’ skill development. (IATSE-PCBA46)
• “In order that employees can better prepare themselves for the skill requirements of the future, and in fulfillment of its obligation to provide information to the Union, the Company will not less than each six (6) months provide a briefing to the Union of the Company’s plans for the introduction of technological change which may affect employees. These briefings may be combined with briefings to the Hazard Communication Team under [the Health & safety Institute]. The Union and its representatives will protect the confidentiality of Company sensitive and proprietary information disclosed in the briefings. During these briefings, the Company will inform the Union of anticipated schedules of introduction of new technology, and will identify areas of skill impacts. In addition, when the Company intends to implement a technological improvement in its tools, methods, processes, equipment or materials which could have an impact on the work performed by bargaining unit employees, the Company will advise the Union of the nature and location of such technological changes and the extent to which they may affect the work performed by those employees. The Company and the Union agree that this Section [Technology briefings] fully sets forth the Company’s obligation to provide information concerning new technology or any other introduction or technological improvement of new machines, tools, methods, processes, equipment and/or materials. If the Union requests other information related to these matters, the request will be treated as a request to add additional subjects to the briefings.” (IAMAW-PCBA54)

Ongoing meetings or project-specific discussions

Some agreements create more flexible structures—such as standing meetings, issue-specific consultations, or project briefings—to support continued union access to relevant information throughout the development and deployment of specific technologies.

Examples: 

• “The [Employer] further agrees that the Chief Information Officer or his or her appropriate designee shall meet, upon request, on a monthly basis with representatives of the UNION to discuss matters of mutual concern. During such meetings, the UNION shall be permitted the opportunity to raise any information technology related issues or problems and to provide the [Employer] representative with potential solutions. All matters requiring additional action shall be addressed as expeditiously as possible, taking into consideration the UNION’s proposed solutions, with an estimated timeline to completion and updates at reasonable intervals provided to the appropriate UNION representatives.” (CTU-AFT-PCBA11)
• “As early as possible in the deliberation or pre-decisional process, the [Employer] briefs the Union and provides applicable background material concerning the proposed demonstration project that is under consideration. For any ongoing demonstration project, the [Employer] provides periodic briefings along with applicable background materials to the Union, a copy of the project plan, and [an] annual report.” (AFGE-OPM67) 
• “The [Employer] agrees to provide an overview briefing to the Union at the national level concerning the Capital Investment Plan (CIP) annually and a semi-annual briefing on the status of the [Employer’s] modernization effort. The [Employer] further agrees to separately brief the Union on any particular project identified by the Union as a result of the overview briefings described above.” (NATCA-OPM100)
• “The [Employer] shall promptly furnish to the [Union] detailed advance information about the development and implementation of automated operations through the application of computer technology. The providing of information shall include preliminary (or tentative) and revised documentation and periodic briefings. The [Employer] shall provide the [Union] with the results of system evaluations performed by the [Employer] to determine whether functional requirements are being met.” (POPA-OPM66)

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