Solidariteit en de gedigitaliseerde werkplek

Abstract

This article explores how the widespread adoption of AI in the workplace threatens the value of solidarity – an often overlooked but central feature of valuable work. It distinguishes between two forms of solidarity: productive solidarity, which arises from cooperation and shared creation, and labour solidarity, which emerges from collective resistance within wage labour systems and suggests that the replacement of human colleagues with AI agents erodes both forms. It does so by removing opportunities for mutual recognition and shared struggle, but also by fragmenting worker identity and amplifying managerial control. Despite these risks, I contend that solidarity can be preserved through ethically informed design choices and democratic governance of workplace technology. Strategies include embedding AI in human teams, enabling worker participation in technological decisions, and revitalizing labour institutions.