By Kristina Lilley
Students and faculty of the Murphy Institute and Cornell University Labor Relations Certificate Program gathered on Saturday, April 21st to discuss the Future of Work. The annual spring conference created and facilitated by current Cornell-CUNY students featured veteran leaders within New York City’s labor movement. Among the guest speakers were Carrie Gleason, director of the Fair Workweek Initiative for popular democracy, Garrett O’Connor, experienced organizer and labor strategist, Murphy student Alexander Mason, and community, labor, and anti-war activist Eljeer Hawkins.
The conference focused on the impact of Artificial Intelligence innovation within the workplace and its repercussions to the existing and future workforce. Students and speakers collaborated to discuss how the industries of New York City, specifically the transit, healthcare, education, retail and construction industries are being altered by A.I., robotics, and other technologies. In group sessions, students discussed how the future of work will contribute to or reduce existing inequalities and inequities within our labor system, in addition to the effects technological innovations will play in relation to ongoing social, racial, and environmental inequities. The conference laid the foundation for the upcoming series The Future of Capitalism and The Future of Work to be held at the Murphy Institute this Thursday—May 4th.
The conference was organized by Cornell-CUNY Labor Relations Certificate students Monise Etienne, Brian Hart, and Nashanta Lamont, Union Semester student Kristina Lilley, Urban Studies Bachelor’s student Cyprian Springer, and Community Semester student Steven Molina, under the direction of Prof. Gene Carroll.
Check out some photos from the event below.
Kristina Lilley is a current Union Semester student.
