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Bill

HB 1622

Allowing bargaining over matters related to the use of artificial intelligence.

2025-2026 Regular Session Introduced by Steve Bergquist and 45 co-sponsors

Washington bill HB 1622 requires employers to collectively bargain with unions over artificial intelligence use and deployment in workplace operations.

By resolution, returned to House Rules Committee for third reading.
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Bill Summary · HB 1622

Legislative bill overview

HB 1622 permits labor unions and employers to collectively bargain over matters related to artificial intelligence use in the workplace. The bill expands traditional collective bargaining scope to explicitly include AI-related working conditions, deployment decisions, and worker protections. This addresses a gap in labor law as AI adoption accelerates across industries.

Why is this important

As employers increasingly implement AI systems that affect job performance evaluation, scheduling, safety protocols, and workforce displacement, workers lack formal negotiating mechanisms over these decisions. This bill gives unionized workers a legal framework to negotiate AI policies before implementation rather than responding to changes after they occur. For employers, it clarifies that AI governance is a bargainable topic, potentially streamlining labor relations in a rapidly evolving technological landscape.

Potential points of contention

  • Business competitiveness concerns: Employers may argue that mandatory AI bargaining slows innovation adoption and creates competitive disadvantages, particularly for smaller firms unfamiliar with labor negotiations
  • Scope ambiguity: The bill's definition of "matters related to artificial intelligence" is potentially broad and undefined, risking disputes over what specifically falls under bargaining requirements versus management prerogatives
  • Non-union worker protections: The bill only applies to unionized workplaces, leaving non-unionized workers—potentially the majority—without comparable AI safeguards or negotiating power

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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