Worker power and wage bargaining in the context of algorithmic control

The U.S. labor market presents a puzzle: despite periods of substantial labour scarcity, wage growth has been slow and has not translated into durable or growing bargaining power. What role has technology played in this outcome? Economists have identified some important effects of technological change, including task displacement and reduced hiring in AI-vulnerable occupations. In this presentation, Veena argues that these analyses only capture part of an emerging transformation. Drawing on qualitative research on algorithmic control, she examines how data-intensive management has allowed employers and hiring entities to differentiate among workers in ways that dramatically decrease workers’ bargaining power. She will conclude by considering the possibilities and limitations of emerging legislative and regulatory responses in the context of the US.