AI in EDU Interim survey findings on collective bargaining: how are education unions responding to AI's impact on educators' work and working conditions?

As part of the EU-funded project Balancing AI in EDU, a new ETUCE working paper by Dr. Tine Wirenfeldt Jensen and Dr. Charlotte Albrechtsen examines how education trade unions across Europe are addressing the impact of AI on educators’ work, working conditions and collective bargaining agendas.

The paper is based on a survey of 236 education trade union representatives from 40 countries across the European region and provides new insights into how unions perceive the opportunities and risks associated with AI, the support educators are seeking, and the extent to which AI-related issues have entered bargaining processes.

The findings show that education unions expect AI to have a significant impact on the teaching profession in the coming years. Most respondents anticipate changes in educators’ daily work activities, required skills and competences, and workload. Unions expect AI to reshape how educators carry out their work rather than replace them.

At the same time, education trade union representatives identify both opportunities and challenges arising from the growing use of AI in education. The most frequently reported opportunities relate to teaching preparation and administrative tasks, where AI is seen as having the potential to reduce routine work and support professional practice. However, respondents also express significant concerns regarding data protection and privacy, intellectual property rights and copyright, and the potential impact of AI on psychosocial well-being and mental health. In areas such as classroom teaching, pedagogical practices and collaboration among colleagues, unions report mixed expectations regarding AI’s impact, reflecting the complexity of its role in the relational dimensions of education.

The survey also provides valuable insights into the support educators are seeking from their unions, particularly training to better understand AI technologies and their educational implications, along with guidance on students’ ethical use of AI, practical implementation in teaching, and data protection issues. Reflecting these needs, unions’ AI-related activities are currently focused on training, information sharing, and the development of guidance and policies, rather than bargaining initiatives. The findings nevertheless indicate that AI-related bargaining is beginning to emerge across Europe, with examples reported in all regional clusters included in the survey. However, negotiations on AI remain at an early stage, with education unions still exploring how best to address these issues through existing bargaining structures.

The working paper further highlights important tensions shaping union responses to AI. Survey comments reveal divergent views on whether AI should primarily be understood as an educational opportunity or a threat, whether it represents a manageable workplace issue or a broader societal challenge, and whether it will strengthen or undermine teachers’ professional autonomy. Rather than reflecting a lack of engagement, the findings point to ongoing debates within the education trade union movement about the future role of AI in education and society.

Overall, the working paper suggests that education unions are already playing an important role in supporting educators in navigating AI-related changes. At the same time, it highlights the need for continued dialogue, capacity-building and exchange of experiences across Europe to ensure that educators’ rights, professional autonomy and working conditions remain at the centre of discussions on the future of AI in education.

Download the full working paper to explore the findings in more detail.